This year

This year has been eventful, to say the least. I've been all over the place geographically and otherwise. I've come out at the end of it better than I started it in some ways, worse for wear in other ways, but more optimistic about what'll happen next year than I was last.

This year I: Lived in five different apartments in two different states. Divorced my wife of nearly seven years. Drove across the country (by myself). Started writing again. Started taking photographs for the fun of it again (and grew as a photographer because of it). Changed my priorities drastically, for the better. Fell into love. Fell out of love. Proved that my instincts were generally right about all of those things. Lost inspiration. Found new inspiration. Lost almost twenty-five pounds. Started allowing time for myself. Made many amazing new friends. Changed my mind about some things, finally made up my mind about others. I lived, loved, laughed, learned, drank, abstained, fucked, fucked up, apologized, questioned, confirmed, tried, failed, succeeded, ranted, raved, found peace.

I came the closest I've ever come to breaking this year, but I didn't. I experienced the greatest amount of heartbreak in my life, but it didn't ruin me. I proved to myself that even at my lowest, even at my worst moments I never abandon hope, never stop looking for a way to solve things. At the same time, I learned that letting people go isn't exactly the same as giving up, that what you want and what is best can be vastly different and sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is to stop doing anything for them at all.

This year, I grew as a person, set new goals for myself both personally and professionally and learned to live in the past, present and future all in one moment...as often as I can.