From a Distance

A question from a friend (you know who you are!) urged me to go ahead and write a New Year's entry, despite my previous aversion to it. Who am I kidding, anyway? You can't change, erase or forget the past. Most of the time, it's right there, in your face, mocking you (also, possibly dancing to Waka Waka. And dancing very well to it, I might add.).

So do I rewind, or do I fast-forward? Or maybe just float around, in the moment? If there is one thing that I have learned this year, it is to take things as they come. Learn to live with whatever is thrown your way. Kafka's Metamorphosis taught me this much.

I could go on like this. There were so many lessons, so much to say. But I can't help but stop for a moment and wonder- why do I always focus on this tiny part of my life? I only end up taking into account a miniscule, insignificant fragment of the world, completely missing out on the bigger picture. It’s time to step back and really take a look around.

And then it hit me. Maybe this coming year should involve a little less selfishness. There is always someone who has it worse than you do, and as important as self-improvement is, there should definitely be a lot less wallowing and self-pity in the process.

I know people close to me who have survived cancer, who have been through extreme psychological breakdowns. People who live secret lives, and people who have lost it all. People who have lived through worse disappointments than I can ever imagine; people who have seen their whole lives crumbling down right in front of their eyes. People suffering from autism; people whose drunken husbands beat them up on a weekly basis. People who never had anything to begin with; people who have it all, but still can't find that silver lining.

All I'm trying to say is, it's important to be content. Whatever you are being put through now- well, the truth is, there could be something much worse coming your way. Prepare for it, and as crazy as this may sound, embrace it. It may change you in ways that you can never imagine.

To conclude, I would like to say that the Bubble Calendar is the best thing ever invented (Google, in case of any confusion). And here's something to think about- "When it's all said and done, would you have said more than you have done?" Also, am I becoming too preachy and repetitive? Happy New Year!