I need to make this short and quick or it will be banished to my "drafts" folder forever as was the fate of so many predecessors.
Well, you've made it to 19 Taylor. Some days I'm not sure how, but you're here none the less.
Let's look back over the past year. This exact time last year you were with some of your closest friends celebrating legality by trying to find a dance club open on a Wednesday night, and you failed. But it was still memorable nevertheless. Since then you've:
Well, you've made it to 19 Taylor. Some days I'm not sure how, but you're here none the less.
Let's look back over the past year. This exact time last year you were with some of your closest friends celebrating legality by trying to find a dance club open on a Wednesday night, and you failed. But it was still memorable nevertheless. Since then you've:
- completed a whole childhood's worth of summer swim league
- spontaneously got celebratory piercings with a dear friend
- found an unexpected appreciation for country music
- spent too much money on froyo
- sent friends off to college not knowing how connections would weather
- met a kindred spirit in the most unexpected place
- spent too much time on a silly boy, but left the situation smiling and knowing that it was the best for the both (that's a first)
- swam in some big bodies of water
- didn't get a hair cut
- reunited with friends states away
- visited friends at school with anticipation of the next school year
- moved half-way around the world, alone, hoping to leave a little scratch on the world and shine Love and Peace in the darkest of places
- lost a life unexpectedly and without warning in the most gruesome of ways
- learned about living with roommates and how equilibrium is important
- grew in appreciation for a culture that my own native culture had taught me to disregard and view as violent and inferior
- read too many thought catalog articles
- filled up four journals of thoughts, dreams, fears, memories and aspirations
- cried countless tears over injustice that I had no idea would hit so close to home (USA & IND)
- learned to love strangers considered worthless by society despite language barrier and realize that love is the strongest language
- wiped more boogers and tears then I thought possible, squeezed more little hands, kissed more pairs of cheeks, and learned more from 100 little kiddos ages 3-13 than I could ever, ever have taught them in my role as "teacher"
- cared too much about how many "likes," followers, comments, "friends" etc.
- learned that ^ those things don't matter and that they don't define a person
- realized my dislike for the term "best friend" (explanation for another post)
- watched many of my friends lose a dear friend too soon and wish that I could heal every crack in their broken hearts
- came to understand that the reason that cliches are "cliche" is because there's (at least) an ounce of truth to them
- a whole bunch of random, once-in-a-life-time memories from India
- seised to disregard my parents and started to appreciate their love for me and for The Lord
- tried to surrender to the continual struggle to see the bigger picture and trust that God has my best interest at heart as He's promised.
- "Just because it's not happening now, doesn't mean that it won't"
- "No use crying over spilt milk."
- Realized the power of being intentional and pursing people and truly caring about them and their situation
Among other things, this is my rambling list of some of the major (and minor) things I've learned, processed, and grown through this past year. Thanks for listening as I processed this past, craziest year of my life. Here's to more and crazier.
