With the new year almost upon us I've been thinking a lot lately about what has happened in 2013. The different ways that I and people around me have grown, and the ways we haven't. The things I've improved upon, and the parts of me that still need work. It's been a busy year.
This year a new baby was born into our family. We love her so. This year we also lost people. I lost my Ginger. I still miss her everyday. This year we went on a family trip to the Smoky Mountains, the first family trip with most of us together in a very long time. I'm hoping we can do it again in 2014 and the coming years. This year I became closer to some people, and farther from others. I'm hoping 2014 can bring some of them close again. This year I took my first official Creative Writing Fiction class and, by some miracle, I got an A. It feels good. I've learned so much about writing this year and even when I thought the class would be the death of me, it was still making me into a better writer. It has made me into a better writer and I will carry the lessons I've learned from that class with me for life. It also taught me that I still have a long way to go. In 2013 I went whitewater rafting for the first time. It was a blast. I saw one of my favorite bands in concert this year. We drove all the way to Kentucky to see them and it was worth every minute. I already have tickets to two more concerts in 2014 and I'm hoping to see as many of my favorite bands as I can afford. I read some really great books this year, and saw some really great movies. I can't wait to do more of this in the coming year, especially with the TFiOS movie coming out in June.
There were moments of great sadness this year, and moments of great happiness. I'm hoping 2014 will be full of more happy moments, big and small, the kind that fill you up inside so much that you can't stop smiling. Wonderful moments I will remember.
Now that 2013 is coming to close a lot of people out there are compiling a list of resolutions, things in the next year that they would like to do, or see, or improve about themselves and everything around them. I've tried this in the past and it hasn't worked so well. I usually end up giving up around March or I just don't make any at all so that way there's no way for them to fail. This year, however, I'm hoping will be different. I'm hoping that I will be different. But the only way for that to happen is to make it happen, so that's my New Year's resolution. To MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Good things, new things, fun and exciting things, all the things I've been waiting for. It's time to stop waiting. It's time for me to stop letting life just happen to me and start happening to it, if that makes any sense. It's time to start saying yes to new things, even if they're a little scary at first. For too long now I've simply sat back and watched my life, I've been a passenger, a spectator, but (excuse this awfully cheesy line) life is not a spectator sport. In 2014 I hope to watch less and do more, not just for me, but for those around me.
So this year I'm not going to make any specific resolutions that I'll probably forget anyway, I'm just going to try and make things happen in my life. I'm going to try and grow and become even more so the person I'm meant to be and get to know exactly who that is. I'm going to try and love myself a little more and care a little less about what other people think. I'm going to do more nice things for people, both familiar and strangers. I'm just going to try more. To be brave. To be kind. To be strong. To be myself. So that hopefully by this time next year I can tell you all that I've made things happen, wonderful things, for myself and for others. But also that I've let some great things happen on their own because that's the way the world works. It's kismet. It's magic. I'm hoping 2014 will be filled with magic for all of us.
And as one of my favorite authors Neil Gaiman has said:
"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."
I hope I surprise myself this year, and I hope you do to. Happy New Year, friends.
Love & Chaos,
Sam
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