The new year is here, 2008, the saying time flies will be most appropriate for 2007, well at least for my 2007. The start of the new year, where are we? Some of us may still be in shock that it is another brand new year, some are raring to go and face the brand new year full of hopes, expectations for a better year, some are just waiting for the fulfilment of a dream, a holiday, a wedding, achieving personal growth or simply moving on. While some just don't care, it's just another new year, there's no instant miracle or instant change that can happen, it would be nice if by the stroke of midnight things will instantly or magically change, that everyone can have a do over, or a restart and start fresh, that all the bad experiences, financial obligations, debts, personal tragedy, bad decisions and mistakes can be erased and be able to start fresh, wouldn't that be nice?
But no, as we all know we're stuck with the things that we have done in the past year, we will have to continue to deal with it whether we like it or not, we will have to go back to work which some of us hate, to a relationship where we're trapped and unhappy and we will have to make do with what we have financially. So really what does the new year brings? Is it hope or is it just a reminder that we have to hurry to achieve what we have set to do, that time is ticking and we have little time left before another year begin.
Looking back in the year that was 2007, what have I learned? To start with I have become cynical this year of the holidays, Christmas and New Year, somehow, somewhere in 2007 the magic, the spirit got lost, whether it is the stress of the season, the continuing commercialization or just the busy lifestyle we lead, I have lost it. It will be hypocritical to pretend that you still believe in the spirit of the season when you don't, it is most difficult for us parents with kids, kids who still believes in the magic and the spirit of the season. But somehow we have managed to keep the magic alive for them and that's what matters which brings me to the second lesson I learned in 2007, my kids are now a person of their own, they do not need me or us as much as when they were younger, we have learned things from them that only they can teach or show, things that adult tend to take for granted or sometimes don't pay attention to, they're more fun now that they can banter and they have their own sense of humor and most importantly I see a piece of me in them.
Change is inevitable, 2007 is the year of changes, changes in plans, changes in strategy, change of heart and changes in people. The latter prove to be the hardest, when people change sometimes it's hard to understand especially if you don't know why. I am a person who tend to analyze usually with my heart, but recently I learned I also became a factual person, it is not enough now that I follow my emotions, my instincts or my guts, I now need facts, I need something more than feelings and that is especially hard with people especially with friends. 2007 had been a year of enlightenment when it comes to friends, I learned that friends are like fashion, there's the classic, the fad or the trend and then there's the accessories. The classic are the staple of your wardrobe, it can be use for all season, like the little black dress, they are always there, they never go out of style, same as friends these are the people who's always there for you through your ups and downs, the ones who knows you well, no time or distance can change your relationship, like your classic they always fit like a glove.
The fad or the trend can be seasonal, they do not last or stick, they come and go, like some friends these are those who's around when they need you, they only tell you what you need to know and do not give too much of themselves away, they give you momentarily joy but like trends or fads they don't stay however like trends they do come back in style and like friends you keep some of them in the hope that they will become more realiable and your friendship will become more meaningful and if you're lucky they may even turn into a classic or a life long friend. Then there's your accessories, these are those who are not necessarily friends, some of them are acquintances, but these are people who have certain qualities, there are those who can make you laugh, someone you can talk to and lift your spirits up without getting too attached to, there are those whom you can chat with about certain aspects of your life but not all of it, those whom you can be silly with, party with, like accessories, they add a certain zest in your outfit, they bring a certain kick or a certain spark, these are people you seek when you need them, to add or brighten your day, your life, the good thing about friends like these is that they have the potential to become a trend/fad and eventually become a classic.
Like any changes in my wardrobe it seems that there were also changes in my friends in 2007, some classic may have become fads/trends, accessories may become fad/trends and some fads/trends may just become accessories. The thing is change is inevitable whether it may be situations, things or people sometimes you cannot help it, as they say the only thing permanent in this world is change.
So, what does the new year brings for me? This year will be a year of challenge, challenge myself to do better in terms of career or work, I will challenge myself to search my long, lost dream in terms of career and do something about it, challenge myself to be a better wife, a better mother, a better friend. Challenge myself to learn to let go of the things I have no control of, stop stressing, obsessing on things and situations that is clearly out of my hand and surrender it to a higher power, challenge my faith, believe more in the higher power and let Him take care of the things I cannot handle, surrender myself to the fact that I cannot do anything alone.
Challenge myself to love myself more, take care of myself more and count the blessings I have instead of counting what I do not have and comparing myself and my life to others. Challenge to accept the fact that no matter what someone will always be better than you, richer than you and have a better life than you. So let the games begin, this year maybe your and my year of challenges, but bear in mind we will win some, we will lose some but at the end of the day if we have given our best and all else fail don't be too hard on ourselves, we can challenge ourselves again until we get it right, the most important thing is we tried, as Thomas Alva Edison once said "I haven't failed, I've found 10,000 ways that don't work."
