New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite holidays. Nothing beats sitting in my pajamas, watching movies, and eating a smorgasbord of food that I laid out for myself. As much as I want to have some extravagant plans, nothing beats spending New Year’s Eve with my mom and sometimes other family members.

One of my favorite movies is New Year’s Eve. It is one of those holiday movies by Gary Marshall in which there are 20 million story lines that all interconnect somehow. One of my favorite quotes from it is: “Sometimes it feels like there are so many things in this world we can't control. Earthquakes, floods, reality shows... But it's important to remember the things that we can. Like forgiveness, second chances, fresh starts... Because the one thing that turns the world from the longing place to a beautiful place... is love. Love and any of its forms. Love gives us hope... Hope for the New Year. That's what New Year's Eve is to me. Hope and a great party!”

That being said, everyone talked about how 2016 sucked. Maybe they meant personally or maybe they meant globally. Either way, I can relate, but I choose to remember it differently. I refuse to let 2016 suck in my mind because of the events that occurred. Was it my favorite year? No. But I lived another year and did so many wonderful things. God blessed me abundantly in many ways. I learned not to live in the past. I realized that I can do anything I put my mind to. I learned that forgiveness is the greatest thing you can do. God is good and he is just getting started. Let 2017 be proof of that. I decided that 2017 is going to be the year I allow myself choose joy. All I want to do is love life, the people in mine, and let the light of Christ shine through me. I encourage you to let go of 2016. Do not live in it, but take some time to look back and name good things that happened. I could easily tell you five things that “ruined” my 2016 BUT I could also easily tell you five or more great things that “made” my 2016. So here you go.

I went on a March for Life trip.

I was cast in two amazing shows at Walsh University.

I applied to graduate school.

God gave me a lot of peace about transferring schools and changing majors.

I vacationed with my family at Disney World.

I learned that love is one of the greatest things you can receive and give.

Let 2017 be your year. Don’t forget to give of yourself, but also to take care of yourself. Above all, love one another. Have hope for a better year and never lose it! Hope will carry you far. After all, “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”