HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Looking back I can barely remember where I was a year ago. This may come as a shock to my sister who is confident that I have the memory of an elephant (those animals don't forget anything, and I thought it appropriate to use them as an example since I'm living really close to them right now...), but this year has felt like a very long one.

... I suppose that with starting 2010 in the middle of my final year of theatre school, an amazing road trip to the West Coast, being thrust into a spell of unexpected depression, moving home, starting this blog, getting fired, laughing in the summer sun, turning 20, taking off to India, gaining a niece, losing a Grandpa, never knowing what comes next, and ending the year nestled into the foothills of the Himalayas with a whole new family, it HAS been a long year.

Most people like to reflect on their time spent and pick out what they discovered about the world and themselves at this time of year. Although I don't really care about this tradition I would be lying if I said that I haven't learned anything about myself recently. A few weeks ago I came to the shocking realization that I am the same person I have always been... Exponential I know!

I suppose that throughout the course of this past year I started viewing myself as a very different person compared to who I had previously known myself to be. In actuality I was the same person going through new situations. Now on the other side, the only thing that is different is I can do it all over again with a greater knowledge base... the essence of my person however remains untouched. I'm grateful to be someone who is able to grow, instead of someone who needs to be dug up and replanted. It is also my belief that everyone has this capacity. Whether it is learning through personal experiences or friend's, I think we are meant to reach and yearn for more, in the most positive of ways.

Maybe that's how I got here in the first place. Whenever asked "Why India?" I would continually reply with "I'm not quite sure, I've just always wanted to go." Deep within me I knew the answer to be much more than that, but being able to articulate complex emotion is something I typically leave to my sister. Anyways, I think I was just sick of 'reaching' and 'yearning' and wanted to grasp and taste instead. So I did. Here's a sampling of what I love about right now...

While playing games in the dinning room New Years Eve Day....

A scary monster thing ran in, jumped up on the table and started throwing candy, and there was running, screaming, jumping, and scrambling!

Good show Clifton Byiya.

Later that night Uncle John gave a sermon about being humble and kind to one another in this upcoming new year.

Directly after supper the boys began doing the clean up, they cleared the tables, did the dishes, swept the floors and wiped down the tables. There may be a few dents in the dishes from all the drumming music they were making!

Nevertheless the girls were made to sit, relax, and enjoy the show. No choice.

Sister, I love you so much and I am glad to have started this project with you. Everyone else I also love you so very much and I am amazed that you haven't shunned us for being as nerdy as to have a blog!

I would like to give a special shout-out to Birthday Lady Regan. She was our first reader and the main drive behind organizing most of the rules mentioned last post. These are the final moments of her birthday so I expect everyone to cheer REALLY LOUD, and raise a toast!

Here's to what was a great year, and what will be another fabulous one. Let's make the most of 2011!