happy new year – speak soon

Thank you for all your ridiculousness, your storms, your breakthroughs. One last look, but actually, 2014, I’m quite over you.

I made new friends.

I traveled to see people. I traveled with Buhay Makulay. I traveled alone.

I stood in front of thousands of little children, from the poorest communities I know, trying my best to shape life into the word hope by telling stories and painting murals.

I was welcomed into the makeshift houses of families that lost theirs.

I saw the impact of history’s strongest storm and the brokenness, amidst powerful healing, that persisted months after.

I was reminded of God’s faithfulness.

I was left in awe of people living with less wanting. People living with less.

I turned 25.

I met heartbreak. The dream shattering, paradigm shifting, inky, moonless kind of heartbreak.

I paid a lot of bills.

I sold back my first car to my brother after an expensive year of maintaining it, and bought a smaller, more fuel-efficient new one in the same color.

I still didn’t gather enough courage to drive.

I went on adventures. I wandered.

I met healing. The joy mending, light pouring into your dusky musty cave, dewy, liberating kind of healing.

I picked up my pen again and wrote poetry.

I moved out of my family’s house and got my own place.

I received visitors. Friends with noise and laughter.

I learned how to teach four more classes at PlanaForma.

I was challenged.

I tried hard to make time for my sketchbook and blank canvases.

I made a lot of challenging decisions as a manager running operations at The Paper Project.

I listened to my gut.

I stood in front of the work of some of my favorite artists like Sebastiao Salgado and Mark Rothko.

I got to spend time with friends who live far away.

I wrote out checks.

I fell for coffee.

I cried more this year (almost certainly) than my whole lifetime of crying after the age of five.

I met hope, again and again.

I made a lot of messy, but valuable mistakes.

I was embraced by community. The spirit resuscitating kind of community.

I started to skip the trips to the salon. I cut my own hair.

I danced. But not enough.

I prayed. But also not enough.

I ate a lot of good food. A lot.

I laughed. Hopefully more than I ate good food, or at least just as much.

I dreamed new dreams.

I claimed big visions for the new year.

You were one for the books, 2014. Now, please pleasantly get out of my way.

An important year-ender tradition – a playlist to sum up my year.

2014, you were ridiculous, and this music helped me roll with your punches. You were far from what I expected, but absolutely amazing nonetheless. A beautiful, stormy year were you.

Songs are in no particular order. And yes, I’m a little upset that I had to put a Pitbull song into the mix.