This time of year has me deep in reflection. I find myself waxing nostalgic, and also occupied with the thoughts of the past 365 days. Life as it exists now. Life in the future. And for a girl who is often guarded with her emotions, I feel a little raw on the sleeve if you know what I mean.

This past year can't really be put into words. To say it has been the best one of my thirty-one years is an understatement. The magnitude of having a dream take shape and then actually become tangibly real is more than I can wrap my head around. Knowing that that kind of happiness has been experienced by many others this year makes me elated. However, in acknowledging the positive side of things I am also well aware that this year has not been as fortuitous for others, and for that I am deeply saddened.

There are people both in my everyday world and my blog world who are wishing this year to hurry out as it has been so very difficult and painful. There are those who are watching the clock and wishing that this year could be frozen in time because it might possibly be the last one like it, and sadly there are those who didn't even make it to see the close of this year. As light as my heart feels with happiness, it also aches. It aches because most of last year was spent in a churning gray cloud of hopelessness, and I know it hurts. And it hurts.

I am not much into resolutions, but if the optimist in me could have just one wish for next year it would be this...
May the greatest feeling of happiness, peace, and love be gently parceled and gifted to each of us to indulge in for the next 365 days. A new year. A blank slate. Because we are all so very deserving.