how it all ends

Today ends yet another year, finally, I guess. It's been a long year, as to some extent they all are, and full of ups and downs, again as they all are. This being a Sunday, we went to church today and the pastor spoke about thanksgiving, and to that end I feel the need to mention that I absolutely haven't fallen sick at all this year. The ocassional headache, but never one that lasted more than three hours or even required me to swallow pills for it to go away. I guess that's Providence for you, so I want to say thank you to the Big Guy.

Im not the kind of person that makes resolutions, but I have a general ambition towards which I like to think I work everyday, even if subconciously - to be rich, filthy rich! That said, I don't really have guidlines against which I can measure how I live, but here's my take: If at the end of the year Im still alive, I haven't been kicked out by my parents, I haven't flunked any papers in school and I haven't made any enemies of previous friends then it's been a good year. This year was an extremely good year. I made a couple of new friends [and surprise some are actually guys], very good friends; I passed all my papers and Im still the apple of the parents' eyes; I took on a few contracts that cost me like two weeks worth of sleepless nights then got bailed on by the contractees meaning I didn't get paid for all that work :( and thereby learnt a few things about broken expectations and the corporate world. Like they say, the lessons we learn from pain are the ones the make us the strongest. I believe I've grown plenty stronger.

I've also learnt a thing or two about pride. There was this friend of mine, she and I were really tight - we kinda just hit it off when we met coz I've known her for just about two years, and somehow over this last year we'd lost touch of each other coz I moved to a different town and was too proud to call when I thought I was being snobbed. Anyways, long story short I ate humble pie, called and now we're speaking again. It was a very good feeling, and I'd just like to say that if the only thing standing between someone and their friend is pride they really ought to get their act together - it's not worth losing a friend over coz in the end you end up carrying all this guilt and can't stop thinking what could have been when it was still in your hands to make things right.

And so here I am looking forward to another bright year, as I do at the beginning of every year. All those bad things that happened to me over the last one, I wouldn't give them back if I could, coz I believe they got me where I am today [OK, except a few, which I dare not mention]. If this year doesn't go like clockwork, then Im sure I'll end up having learnt more valuable lessons, so I'll still be grateful for it. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you, says the Good Book.
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