Peace Out 2014

It's New Year's Eve... again. I have mixed feelings about this holiday this year. Looking back on the year a lot of great things happened... I completed student teaching, graduated from college and started my first full time job. Those were the "big" things. There were also a lot of fun other things that I did this year... Went to Aruba twice, saw some great concerts and had an enjoyable summer and holiday season. 

With any year there are events that took place and people met that I would like to keep in this year and move on in 2015. It is hard to sit here and even give some sort of attention to these not so good memories based on all of the other good things that happened, but the fact is that they did take place and whether I like it or not these people/things had an effect on me this year.

A year ago I started 2014 just as I will this year. Ringing in the new year in Times Square. Although one of the people that I rang in NYE with is long gone I am looking forward to tonight again except I will be with people that I know will be in my life next NYE. Shortly into 2014 I was disappointed... safe to say not a banner way to begin the new year.

When life began getting busy again this person was quickly forgotten and my bitter feelings faded. I think its a great thing when you realize that you are better of without someone and that it is nothing about you... as Ariana says "I've got one less problem without ya!" It is even more satisfying when you are able to look back and laugh on it. 

About half way through this year I met a person that I did not expect to "click" with. The time spent with this person was short, but meaningful. I think way too often people get too hung up and expect their lives and relationships to look or be a certain way, but sometimes what we want is not the perfect thing on paper. This person hurt me. As much as I wish I could easily forget and leave this person behind in 2014 there will always be this piece of 2014 that will stay with me. Hopefully I can move on and have better experiences in 2015 and focus on the lessons I learned this year in this part of my life. Try to be open to new experiences, give people more of a chance and hopefully never hurt someone the way this person hurt me.

As I write this blog I am very appropriately watching one of my favorite movies, New Year's Eve. Some see it as a typical fantasy love story, but to me it means so much more. This movie can turn my mood from sad to hopeful as quickly as Starbucks and a ThinkThin protein bar. The lessons that the characters learn in this movie are ones I think most people experience in real life. Of course everything turns out fantastic in the end, but I really do believe that fairytale endings can happen in real life. Maybe I will get mine this year (although I won't hold my breath). But like Hilary Swank's character Claire says "It is NYE anything is possible."

There are a bunch of feel good scenes in this movie... the countdown to the ball drop, the ending scene with Josh Duhamel and Sarah Jessica Parker (see it I will not tell you), but one of the most meaningful quotes come from Claire (Hilary Swank). 

"And as you all can see, the ball has stopped half way to its perch. It's suspended there to remind us before we pop the champagne and celebrate the new year, to stop, and reflect on the year that has gone by. To remember both our triumphs and our missteps, our promises made and broken. The times we opened ourselves up to great adventures... or closed ourselves down for fear of getting hurt. Because that's what New Years is all about...getting another chance. A chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, to love more, and to stop worrying about what if... and start embracing what will be. So when that ball drops at midnight, and it will drop, let's remember to be nice to each other, kind to each other, and not just tonight but all year long."

This quote takes on new meaning for me every year as I am sure it does for all of you. It is a great thought to end the year, say farewell to it and hope for better things and memories made in 2015. It may be a pipe dream, but maybe this one person will see this and not close himself off for fear of getting hurt in 2015...and if he doesn't, then it just wasn't meant to be.

So peace out 2014...2015 I hope you have good things in store.