Did you know that the famous little ditty we sing every year at midnight New Year's Eve started as a poem in 1788? Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote the poem "Auld Lang Syne" to the tune of an old Scottish folk song, and it soon gained popularity as a New Year's song in Scotland, Britain, and eventually America. Now it is sung around the world every year. I wonder if Robert Burns had any idea the magnitude of what he was crafting...
Speaking of the old ennui, I've been doing some reflecting on 2010 and the implications of it as I try to fathom what 2011 will have in store for me.
2010 was the Year of Letting Go for me. Whether it be letting go of my inhibitions and shyness by exploring a foreign country, letting go of old friendships that I had outgrown, or letting go of anger that was making me bitter inside, I let go of quite a bit of spiritual and emotional weight this semester. And the difference is really amazing.
Going into 2010, I thought I had my life basically figured out. I should have known better, and trust me, I am not making the same mistake in 2011. I have learned more than ever that God's plans for my life are oft not my own.
This time last year, I would have told you that I was going to be a school counselor, that I was going to join the Peace Corps out of college, and that I knew who my best friends for life were going to be. All three of those plans have changed. Completely.
I lost a few best friends to changing plans and whirlwinds of time and place that I guess drove a stake between us. I got angry about it, even bitter, because I felt completely and totally rejected. But God was there to comfort me and to show me that I still had amazing people in my life. I don't think I would have ever realized how awesome some of my other friends really are if I still maintained some of the friendships that diminished in strength this year. God has plans. Sometimes I can't understand until I'm on the other side of it, but, man, is He awesome.
Career-wise, I'm getting ready to kind of take a leap of faith. Instead of going into the Peace Corps, I'm going into a Masters of Arts in Teaching program, and I'll probably be teaching high school Spanish by this time next year. It's quite honestly scary, but I'm pretty excited about sharing the language that I've learned to love so much. Helping people is my passion, and I could have done that in counseling, but I think teaching will be just what the Great Physician ordered.
So where does that leave me for 2011? I'm not going to make resolutions, but I do have goals, and I'm going to publish them here in hopes that it will motivate me to keep my promise...even if it is just to cyberspace. Here goes!
For education:
Stay motivated on the home-stretch. Graduation is 5 months away, and I need to stay focused and not get burned out to turn around and start grad school in June. Also, I want to keep learning Spanish, even when I'm not compelled by classes to study it. Reading more, listening more, talking more.
For TaeKwonDo:
Get that black belt! It's happening this year! Also, I want to start doing free designs at tournament. Speaking of which, my tournament performance needs to get better!
For general fitness:
Train more this semester and give kickboxing a try. I want to go to the academy at least once a week along with regular classes at Lee.
Financially:
Save, save, save. No more impulse spending on stuff that I don't necessarily need. I need an apartment and a new computer, and to get those, I have to save. I also want to start working on an emergency fund, contingent on me getting a regular paycheck at some point this year.
For life in general:
I need to remember that I'm not living for me. I'm living for God. That is my life. Sure, I have fun, but I'm His.
Relationally:
I want to keep developing the friendships that I have and challenge myself to go outside my comfort zone and talk to people. I've wasted so many years being painfully shy and missing out on opportunities because I wouldn't talk. God, give me strength to push past that part of me.
Minor projects: Update this blog at least once a week and take one photo every day under the theme "Everyday People".
Okay, I think those are the big goals on which I am going to focus this year. I hope that if anything, perhaps this give you ideas for your own personal goals.
I hope you all have a wonderful new year filled with love and joy and peace and the plans of God! Blessings!
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