2012: A Retrospective

Last night, after a fun dinner at The Cactus Club and a low key evening of movie watching and champagne with friends, I slipped home and was in bed by 1:30. It was just what I'd hoped for my New Year's Eve celebration this year. Unassuming, relaxing, and effortless.

In the calm of the night, it was hard to believe that a year has come and gone since I last joined Boston's many revelers in ringing in this happy event. Starting before the clock struck midnight, my various social media outlets were filled with recalls of the year. The good, the bad, the mostly better. 

As I sat contemplating my own 2012, I was tempted to think that another year had come and gone, and really not much had happened. No new moves, jobs, romances, or status changes. It made me feel a bit antsy. As if maybe I should be picking up and moving to Colorado, or applying for jobs in Paris. But then. . .then, I began to think harder, or perhaps just more intentionally. 

What I found is that this year was full of important moments. Moments that little by little have changed the trajectory of my life. Often, in ways I probably don't fully realize yet. I took a pastry class fulfilling a long time dream (and hopefully will start up again soon!), made new friends, started a book club, took up jogging for the first time in my life, gave up my money trap of a car and didn't lose my independence. I worked toward mending a broken friendship and in it saw the real purpose of forgiveness and reconciliation. I had good friends help me realize that my job is not using me to my potential and show me my strengths and start pushing me out of my comfort zone. 

 I learned valuable lessons about how to be more selfless to my friends, roommate, and family. How to communicate more graciously, and bite my tongue when it doesn't matter.

I turned 25.

It seems, in the great rush of a year, a lot has happened. No, I'm not perfect. I'm not the person I'll always be. But I'm getting there. I'm many steps closer to being the woman I aspire toward. A woman who is gracious, kind, patient, loving, who follows Jesus despite the cost, who cares for those around her even when it seems inconvenient to the all consuming "I". 

I'm still making mistakes. Sometimes I fail and am greedy, impatient, sarcastic, and demanding. But I am praying that in this next year, bursting with possibility, that I will exude more of the former and less of the latter. 

In short, 2013, you have a lot to live up to.