New Year, New Beginnings... Maybe

January 1, 2024

Dear Diary,

Another year is upon us. I don’t even want to talk about how quickly we zoomed through 2023, my life is still spinning from that one. It came, it wreaked havoc sprinkled with moments of fun and enlightenment, and ended at warp speed. I started 2023 ringing in the year with family and newly formed friendships in an Irish pub. And ended in a hotel suite in Philly, surrounded by family and friends.

But its been hard remembering every little moment and detail of my experiences from January to December 2023. I need to start going back over my year. Start a new life tradition - at the beginning of a new year, I will take time to revisit the last year, first thanking God that I made it. And then making a list of all the ways He was always present, always showing up in unexpected ways. I will share 2023’s list at the end of this year.

2024, I wonder what God has in store for me. Where will I go? Who will I meet? What lessons will I learn? Will I finally finish the never ending list of crochet projects? What about my dream gallery wall? I mean the questions for this year abound, already. So, what am I most excited for this year? The possibilities. I can’t wait to see the ways I prove myself wrong and prove myself right. How I overcome adversity, counter negative self talk, and make short work of intrusive thoughts. This year is full of endless possibilities, and that excites me. It makes me want to keep going, keep turning the page, and see what happens next in the story of my life. I don’t know what comes next, so like everyone else I’m waiting for the next chapter. I am praying I get at least one climax of falling in love. Achieving the financial freedom of being completely debt free. Maybe even some surprise plot twists of moving to another country? 😕Buying a home in the US, and or a small home in the south of France. Get out more, meet new people and love myself even more. There is always the chance of pain, the inevitable mark or proof of life. Then there is the epilogue, represented by  unexpected news or the moments triggering spontaneous bursts of tears. 😭 If I were to write my life’s story in 2024 it would have a little bit of everything, with a dash of whimsy, because I like whimsy. No matter what, I want to live without regrets. Always without regrets. I want to give it all I’ve got, hold nothing back (except my tongue, some say it can be vicious). 2024, give me your best. And I promise I will give you mine.

This year’s anthem: God is Good by Jonathan McReynolds