Once Upon A December
December: A month of Two Shades
One gives hope for the new year, and the other holds memories from January to November.
This year may have started with a belief that things would be different; you would finally achieve your dreams, and it would be "your" year. However, the year surprised you with events that you could have never predicted.
If I have learned anything this year, it’s that I won’t ever be ready for what life throws at me. I will never be adequately prepared. I won’t have the right words when it counts for something. I won’t have the answer when fate itself is staring me down.
I have learned to live authentically as I know how. As long as I keep my eyes fixed on the light, my fingers can glide through the darkness. As one door closes, another one springs open. I’ll move forward with the confidence that, unlike many others, I still have another year to try and get it right this time.
This year may be ending, but it doesn't mean it's forgotten. This year has taught me many lessons, such as who to trust, how to respond, the hardships I've faced, and the resilience I've developed despite the circumstances.
So here’s to all the late nights, early mornings, lessons gained, and experiences shared. Here's to the hardships that became our teachers. To the heaviness that taught us how to rise again.
To the individuals who would pause their lives to commemorate our presence. Here's to the time we chose feelings over disconnection. Freedom over perfection. Courage over what's known and certain. Here’s to releasing what wasn’t ours to carry.
Now, we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been — like a blank canvas, waiting for us to paint our masterpiece. Or at least a moderately decent doodle.
New year resolutions — what most people plan on getting done. Do I have new year resolutions? I don’t. That doesn’t make me someone who’s not serious, does it? Not like I have issues with them, but if you write out a list of things you’d want to change in the new year, it’s fine. I respect you for that.
But why wait for the new year to change what you don’t feel comfortable with? You could always change it now. I mean, who says you can't start a diet on December 28th? Salad is salad, no matter the date.
May this new year be a time of new beginnings. Where you find balance over perfection — because let's face it, life is a messy juggling act. Choose what aligns with who you are, rather than what's convenient.
Be present in the moment over multitasking — because even the best smartphones get overwhelmed. I hope you take your time to pause today, to really look into what the past has taught you and look forward to what the future has yet to teach you.
Here's to new beginnings. Here's to taking one step forward into the hope and possibility of tomorrow.
In this new year, I hope you live louder. I hope you laugh more — the kind of laughter that turns heads in grocery stores. I hope you sing at the top of your lungs. I hope you drive with the windows down and let the wind rustle your hair. I hope you hug. I hope you kiss. I hope you surround yourself with people that make you feel alive.
I hope you become the type of person that brings good energy wherever you go and the type of person that people want to be around. I hope you speak what's on your mind, that you raise your voice for injustice — like a superhero but without the cape, because who needs a cape really? That you tell others you love them, instead of waiting until it's too late.
I hope you let life surprise you. Let life take you on journeys that you never thought you'd take — like a GPS that insists on the scenic route. Let life lead you to unexpected places with unexpected people, leading to unexpected experiences that open your heart and eyes — because normal is overrated.
Some plans won't go the way you intend — welcome to the club. Some paths won't work out and some doors will close. And that's okay. Sometimes life needs to guide you towards new places because you can't find the unexpected treasures in the same rabbit holes (forgive the Easter pun; it’s Christmas, I know). So, when your plans don't work out as you had thought they would. Surrender. Don't fight it.
Don't ever let your head stop your heart from moving! Embrace the journey ahead with open arms and an open heart — like a cozy hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a minute. Now, go forth, fellow traveler, and conquer the unwritten pages of the coming year — it's your story, after all!
