2011: What A Year!

I’m trying to remember what I was doing or thinking a year ago today.  I believe that I was at my friend’s house for a game night in my hometown in Nebraska.  We were reminiscing about old high school days, playing Quelf, and jamming to some old tunes on the piano.  I was living in Kansas, working at a church, and applying to seminary at some point.  I think at this time last year, I was trying to get into Mayo hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.  Now, a year later, life has moved on, the symptoms have lessoned, and I can enjoy life as a fairly healthy person.  I had absolutely no idea that a year later, I would be living in Nashville, Tennessee:  working at a bank, getting my masters, interning for a human rights organization, and sitting on the couch with a cat in my lap.  All in a year.

This last year my parents celebrated their 30^th wedding anniversary.  My dad celebrated his 25^th year at the post office.  I visited my cousins in Oklahoma City and some other cousins in Detroit, and went to Canada for the first time.  I ate ribs for the first time.  My friend and I traveled to Nebraska to honor my parents when they received the Distinguished Service Award at their church.  Despite all this, in all the years that I have been out of my parents’ house, this has been the least eventful year so far.  However, I would say one of the best years.

Even though the years go by quickly now, a year is still a fairly large chunk of time.  I wonder what I will write about 2012 a year from now.  This past year has been one of healing, not only physically but also emotionally.  I have loads more confidence today than I did even six months ago.  So much can change in a year.

I used to be one to set resolutions at the beginning of the year, but this year is different for me.  I guess my goal for this year is to work hard, laugh a lot, and love deeply.  In a lot of ways, I am nervous for the many challenges that I have been presented with and I am overwhelmed by the responsibility that I carry.  I know that the days ahead will be difficult, but I trust that the same hands that have guided me to this place will carry me through.  Here we go, stepping into another year, and I will believe that God has great things in store in the coming days.  Happy New Year!