Thoughts on 2016
When I think back on this year, at
first glance it seems like it should be labeled as a “bad” year. And I don’t think
anyone would blame me for feeling this way. But, even though some life changing
things happened, I still cannot label this year as “bad” because there was also
a lot of good mixed in.
In 2016 I said a lot of goodbyes.
I said good bye to many dear friends
who are serving missions, or who left for college.
I said good bye to my grandpa who
was such a generous and loving servant of the Lord. He was an example to me of
how to follow the commandments given to us and to love God with all our heart.
His absence in our family is sad, but I am so grateful for the legacy he has
left behind.
And the most difficult goodbye of
2016 was to my twin sister Lindsey. This change in our family is felt deeply
and makes every other thing that I have experienced that I thought was hard
seem utterly trivial. I feel sad because of the goodbye, but when I think of
the hello in the next life it brings the “good” back into the memory. I know
that Lindsey was given to our family because we needed her, and she has gone
back to our Heavenly Father because He needs her spirit there to bless those in
Heaven. So, just as there is good and bad in this experience there has also
been good and bad throughout 2016.
Here are some of them:
I left the country for the first
time (via a cruise!)
I completed my first year of
college with all A’s and started my second year
I was able to meet and talk with an
apostle
I volunteered at MDA camp and met
so many extraordinary people
I had countless prayers answered
I felt my testimony steadily increase
during some experiences and grow by leaps and bounds during other experiences
I went to two musicals that I love (and
jammed out to musicals in my car 100+ times)
I got my first B and didn’t cry
about it
I’ve made a lot of great friends and
built deeper relationships with the ones I already had
I started a book club
I completed 81 books this year
(surpassing my goal of 75)
I visited the Grand Canyon for the
first time
I bought my first car
I met one of my favorite authors
I got to horseback ride on the
beach which has always been a bucket list item
I started my job and have grown to
love all the people here (I have now been here a year)
And, I became another decade older
So yes, some not so great things
happened in 2016, but my list of great things that happened is so much longer
(and I’m sure there are many more things that I am forgetting to add). I would
say 2016 was a year of change, and I think 2017 will be as well. I hope to improve
myself and take the opportunities I am given to become who I am supposed to be.
I want to look back at this year and smile about all of the good and not let
myself get stuck on the bad. I cannot say that I will always be successful at
this but I hope that writing this all down will help. Even if no one reads my
little blog, it won’t matter, I am hoping that by occasionally putting all the
millions of thoughts always bouncing in my head into words I will be able to
look back at this time in my life and see the growth I have made.
(I included this picture so I can document how I change mentally and physically. And also because I think I look cute and I thought it was cool that you could see my sisters in my sunglasses)
Until next time,
Hailey
