Hi friends. It's a little early to start wrapping up the year, but I just want to go for it. There's a lot of shenanigans sloshing around in this brain of mine and I want to share some of it, both heavy and light. Thanks for journeying with me this year:
- Firstly, the Lions will most likely never win the Superbowl. Sorry, guys.
- More than ever, I feel like I've found my voice this year. I've always been one of those quiet people who don't say too much, but that has definitely changed. There's no shame in sharing your thoughts or what your life is like with trusted folks. In fact, you might be surprised who cares enough to listen.
- Don't let being afraid of failing keep you from trying.
- Good friends will always find a way of reaching you--whether it's facebook, twitter, e-mail, phone calls, Skype, or making the drive. They will find a way.
- Home is so much more than a physical place. It's the people who love you at your worst and the God who wants to know you, and resting in that place of being loved. Once you know that, you can be anywhere in the world and not be shaken.
- Taking too many literature classes at once will make you hate reading. Don't do it.
- Roadtrips are beautiful things.
- Ask for help when you need it. Yes, emotionally- but also in cases of moving large, heavy furniture down stairs. To quote Bono, "sometimes you can't make it on your own."
- Turning Motown on loudly and dancing relieves so much stress. Coincidentally, I've become much better friends with the neighbors.
- It's okay to not have all the answers. It's ok to follow what you love, as long as it is the right thing. It is ok to not people please or justify every decision you're faced with making. Not everyone will understand, and not every one will need to. The future will come as it comes, and thankfully for us-
- God cares more about who we are becoming than where we are or what we are doing. I really believe that.
At the end of every year, I like to make things superlative. "This has to have been the hardest year." Or, "this has been the best season." Yet those things are untrue.
Every year is its own piece, its own unique thrill and experience tangled in lessons and learning. The truth is that these years will eventually add up to being my entire life. Instead of trying to sum it up into something I can wrap up neatly, I take a minute to breathe. Maybe it's not all about what the year has taught me, but if I have lived it well- if you have lived your year well. I hope you have.
Many things have come and gone this year, but the message is still the same. Your story matters. Each of our stories matter. Peace to you tonight, wherever this finds you. May you know your worth this year and every year after that. May you find out what it means to live.
With hope-
Elizabeth
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