"If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone"
-John Maxwell
Because it is the start of a new year and everyone is talking about resolutions and what to expect out of 2011, I decided to add my two cents and reflect upon the year of 2010. And what a year it was! I mean, man. First of all, it was hands down the fastest year of my life which completely amazes me because so much happened and I came out of it a completely different person. You think this would take a series of years or even decades, but it all happened in this one small year. The best way to describe 2010 is a year of growth. There is no better way to put it. Although my freshman year of college began during the end of 2009 and not 2010, it was from January on that most of the change occurred (everything before that was just ignorant bliss: the calm before the storm if you will). As I have written about before, my freshman year of college was a true roller-coaster ride; one that seemed to prefer corkscrews, loops, and severe drops rather than the peaceful highs with the nice views. Yes, one year ago today I was in a funk. One that would last until about mid October of 2010 when the the growth that was spreading and taking root beneath the surface all year finally blossomed above ground for all to see, including myself. My attitude started to change in an instant and I felt as if I was a completely different person from the one I had known for 18 years. But looking back now, I realize that it did not happen in an instant, as most true change cannot happen in such a quick and miraculous way. Change takes time. It needs to explore the territory a bit and roam around before it will settle in. This is just what happened to me.
2010 was my first full year of "adulthood" (if that is what you can even call college; maybe, "pseudo adulthood" is a better term). A year that I was completely free from high school, permanent residence in my hometown, and the constant watch of my parents. A year where I was forced to figure out life and my current situation on my own. Although last year I would have croaked over dead before you heard me say college basketball BENEFITED me, it without a doubt helped magnify the terrifying/depressing/questioning/horrific experience of freshmen year of college, which eventually led to magnified rewards. I suppose that is what being stripped of your confidence, happiness, naivety, swagger, etc. will do to you. Because in this state, it is just you. You in your most basic form. A form that lets you connect with the One who created you and discover what makes you tick and who you really are. It allows you to discover what you like, what your talents are, what makes you laugh, what makes you smile, who truly matters in your life, how you feel about things, what you believe in, and what you don't; most importantly it allows you to have confidence in your self because you built it. Or rather, you discovered it. This is the you you want to be and who you truly are. Sure I have only scratched the surface of discovering all there is to know about me (a lifetime project a don't doubt), but laying this foundation has been a wonderful wonderful experience for me. An experience shared with the amazing people I have met and developed lasting relationships with, those who have been around since the beginning and have stuck by my side through "the dark ages," and also the places, words, ideas, and beliefs that have added a lovely backdrop for it all. Without this collective group, I could not have possibly learned so much about myself; after all, what better way to learn and grow than tapping into the shared knowledge contained in the invisible web that connects us all??
So all in all 2010, cheers to you! Thank you for helping me laugh harder, smile a million times more than I ever have, find greater joy in life, draw closer to God in every way, develop friendships with the most amazing people in the world, find a way to love the people around me even more, foster an attachment to this university I will be spending four years of my life at, rediscover my love for a game I have dedicated my life to, better understand who I am and what I mean to the world, worry less, and just have fun.
So instead of making resolutions for this new year (that I won't follow through on because I never do), I just hope I will continue to enjoy life, be happy, and try and help other people be happy too. Whatever way, shape or form I can do that is fine with me!
