For many, the new year is about resolutions, setting goals, and trying to become a new person. It marks another year alive, another year passed, and milestones reached. For many, it's the mark of things lost and absences. For me, it's a mystery. I've never been a person to set goals or to make resolutions because I truly believe that we can do that any day without reason. But I am a person who loves to reflect on the past and the future.
Dear 2015,
Thank you for failing me. Thank you for ringing in the first month of the new year with one of the biggest failures that I needed in my life. This failure provided me with the relationships, the perspective, and the strength to make the best decisions, even though they were hard and most days I didn't want to face them. As much as I love success, I love failure -- I love learning and I love growing. I honestly believe I am my best self when I am failing, as silly as that may seem. So thank you for reminding me that.
Thank you for my successes. The people who you introduced me to remind me every day why I believe there's still hope for the world. People who make me laugh, who challenge me when I'm difficult, and who help push me towards the person I want to be. I never loved making friends and hearing peoples stories so much until this year. Thank you for the pat on the back and the reminder that I am doing OK, even when I feel I am not. Success is overrated, but when we receive it, I believe it's deserved that much more.
Thank you for teaching me how to listen and to be a better friend. I love to talk, to chat people's ears off about my life, my failures, my successes, and the experiences I'm thankful for. But at times, I have found that I am bad at listening to other people when they do this. You opened my ears and my eyes to the people around me and gave me the ability to not only see people for who they are but to see them for who they are not.
Thank you for reminding me to be grateful and to love others unapologetically. In the midst of all the violence and death the world has experienced this year, it makes me realize that the world needs more love. Life is too short not to love one another and offer them the kind of kindness we wish we could receive. There is so much about life we all take for granted everyday, our family members, our safety and security and our good fortune. Thank you for forcing me to be more grateful and to say thank you and I love you more often then I do.
Finally, thank you for reminding me that life is meant to be lived completely and without regret. Some days would go by, and I'd lie in bed thinking I did not do one important or meaningful thing that day to make impact on my life or on the world. And this realization has forced me to change that. As 2015 comes to a close, my mission is to not go to the gym daily or to save money but to live every single day to completeness even the bad days that seem hopeless. The importance of life is being fully present and engaged with the world around you. Thank you for reminding me of this.
Thank you 2015 for another year of life and let 2016 know I'm ready for the success and failure it will inevitably bring.
