New Beginnings

My one little word for last year was balance, and from the cobwebs around here it's probably kind of obvious that I crashed and burned on that word. The funny thing is that my word for 2013 was self, and that truly ended up being my word for 2014.

If you've been here for a while, you know that things have not busy easy for us. There has been a lot of loss and many challenges. Thankfully, we both finally seem to be rising above those losses and challenges, but unfortunately we've had to do so on our own. I'm so happy to tell you that Jerry's store is doing better than he imagined after only 9 months, and I'm hopeful that he can continue to prosper and be happy. He loves animals, and he is incredible at helping people take the best care of their pets that they can within their given budget. He is a great asset to our community, and I wish him nothing but the best as he continues forward on his journey.

It was hard walking away, but I came to realize that I could not do everything on my own, and I needed more. I took time this year, especially this summer, to go out and meet new people, to try new things, to eat new foods, to go to new places, and really grow as a person. In many respects I feel like I have failed, but with the help of a great counselor I'm realizing that these things that I'm seeing as failures are simply ways that my path was going off in a different direction than I had planned. I deserve the opportunity to explore these different paths to find which ones are best for me.

One of my favorite songs from many years ago said, "It's closing time, and every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." While 2014 was at times very sad, it has been a year of growth and exploration, and I am thankful that I was finally brave enough to look to an end and start a new beginning. It's scary because every other time I had an end on the horizon, I knew exactly what new beginning lay ahead. This time, not so much. So here's what I'm learning:

• It's okay not to be in control.
• It's okay to be impulsive and do something crazy.
• It's okay to spend some money on a splurge that will make a wonderful memory, as long as you're putting a little bit away for a rainy day.
• Sometimes people come into your life in the most unexpected way at exactly the right time.
• Sometimes you just have to have faith that everything happens for a reason and that everything will be okay.

2014 really was the light at the end of a very long tunnel. With all of this in mind, my word for 2015 is possibilities. I'm looking forward to seeing everything that the new year and my new life has in store for me, and I'm keeping my eyes and heart open for every new possibility.