Looking back on 2009 I have realized that this was a year of tremendous growth for me. There were many things I learned that experience threw at me without any regard to the emotions that came along with it and I am so grateful.
I have finished up my mental health rotation at the Colorado State Mental Health Institute and I will admit I was a little sad to leave my patients. The semester went as smoothly as I could have hoped for and I ended up with an A on my 27 page final paper. Shortly after the semester ended I packed my apartment, bid my friends goodbye, and left for Boise to start a whole new chapter of my life.
I will admit leaving Colorado was one of the hardest things I have done in my life, but I do realize that it is for the better. I had a great job, great apartment, and had great friends and people in my life. However, I realized that my time in Colorado did need to come to end for a period of time. I do have hopes of going back someday as it is an absolutely gorgeous state and I miss it.
Being in Idaho once again has made me realize how much I had taken for granted before I moved. I never realized that I was living next to beautiful mountains and foothills in the 15 years of growing up here, nor did I realize how beautiful and unique downtown Boise really is. Most of all, I have realized the importance of having family right by your side. This newfound appreciation has brought greater meaning to my life.
But, like I said, 2009 did bring tremendous growth for me as a person. I feel as though I spent the year getting acquainted with myself. When I think of my life, I imagine a big blank canvas and I have every color of paint in imaginable in front of me and a brush in my hand. It is completely up to me where I put the colors and what colors I choose to paint. As I thought about this, I have decided that I don't want a boring canvas with the traditional reds, greens, and blues. Instead, I would much rather prefer to fill it with beautiful magentas, teals, copper yellows, and brilliant greens. I want to be able to look over my shoulder at my life, smile, and think to myself, "yea...I did that."
I guess it is safe to say that lately I have come to realization of how much we seem to take our lives for granted. I sleep in a warm bed everynight, and every morning I awake to the same routine and begin my day without a second thought. However, who is to say I don't end up in a car accident? Have a heart attack? A stroke? Or any other crazy ways in which would cause my soul to leave the earth? It's a fairly morbid thought, but a thought nonetheless that we are never promised tomorrow. We are never promised more than the moment we are in. Therefore, why would we not make the most of every little moment that we can? Why would we waste time feeling angry, regretful and hateful?
It is my goal to fill this next year with nothing but adventure after adventure, because life is too short to not have it filled with excitement. Too often do we hide behind our excuses of not having enough money, not having enough time, or no one to go with. I am taking out the excuses in my life. I will work hard and play even harder because I have no excuse for not living my life to the very fullest I possibly can. There are few people in this world who have an excuse. I think if you have your health, a full stomach and a shirt on your back you are one of the lucky people on this earth, so take advantage of it. Dance in the rain, breathe at stop light, forget the snooze button, and take chances by throwing your whole heart into life. Live with no excuses, and love with no regrets.
