Year In Review

Tomorrow (technically today) is my 26^th birthday. I don’t quite understand birthdays (are we celebrating me surviving another year of adulthood?), but this year, I’m using it as an opportunity to look back on what I’ve accomplished or weathered in the past year as well as to look forward to how I can improve in the next. And since I’m feeling pretty ineloquent, I’m going to do a pictorial tour of my 26^th year.

My first finished draft, November 2013

Wicked at the Benedum, February 2014

Got my first flat tire thanks to this guy, June 2014

History lessons in Johnston, PA, June 2014

Book haul from the PA Literary Festival, June 2014

Hiking in Rocky Gap, MD, August 2013

Bridesmaid duties, March 2014

Finding inspiration at Margaret Mitchell's house in Atlanta, December 2013

Hanging at the Point, June 2013

The view from my uni, June 2013

Visiting Chicago, July 2013

My Christmas tree, December 2014

Visiting Virginia, December 2013

Phipps Conservatory Winter Lights, January 2014

Doodles from a student worker, March 2014

Pennsylvania Rebellion pro softball game, June 2014

Full moon, June 13th, 2014

I visited a PC buddy in Georgia over the Christmas holidays. She lived right beside a church with a very powerful sound system, and as we got in the car to go out for the day, we decided to sit and listen for a few minutes. The reverend told a story about being on an airplane. The plane was on the runway but delayed. He fell asleep. When he woke up, he thought they were at their destination already, but they hadn’t even taken off. They hadn’t gone back to the gate, though, either. And his point was: “I may be delayed, but I’m not going backward.” My life feels more like it’s moving sideways rather than forwards, but when I get down about it, I try to remember that.

And moving into my 27^th year, I’m starting to think about what I want to improve in myself and in my life. Therefore, I’m reposting some promises I wrote down at the new year along with some new ones.

Laugh more.
Study a language.
Play music more.
Spend more time with the people I love.
Exercise regularly.
Eat healthily but not berate myself when I slip up.
Read as much as I possibly can.
Dream.
Drink lots of tea.
Practice patience.
Remember that anyone I meet could be having a bad day and that smiling just may brighten it.
Pray better.
Sing along to really loud music.
Bake cookies just for the smell of them.

Be mindful.

Read more nonfiction.

Be a good friend.
Love others.
Love myself.