stories

i've always loved new years eve...but not for the extravagant parties. hell, i don't think i've gone out on new years eve in at least 6 years or more due to my children entering this world. truth be told, i'll actually be lucky to make it to midnight...maybe mixing in a glass of bubbly with my boxed wine. (wiiiiild!) however, as each year that passes it is like the ending of a story. each passing month of that year is like a chapter in that book. there are some chapters i'd like to reread each delicious detail, some i'd like to skim through, and some i would skip all together. as i get older, i have realized that writing this story each year is up to me...and unfortunately each year flies by faster than the next. i know damn well i'm gonna wake up and be 80 and wonder what the hell happened. my dad always warned me about the quickness of this life and i thought he was lying. now that i have my own children, i know this to be true. moreover, you create your own story with each decision that you make. how you act and react to things that are beyond your control are crucial to your own happiness, i've learned this throughout the years. this past year has been filled with great memories and experiences, but the beginning of a new year is an opportunity to start fresh, to start the story all over again so to speak.

i learn a lot about life from the children that i teach and also the two little people that inhibit my house. children know how to to truly live and they are unaffected by the burdens of adulthood. they wear their feelings (good or bad) on their sleeve. they tell people how they really feel and mean it. they soak up each experience and grow from it. as adults, we sometimes miss the lesson in an experience and move along too quickly. sometimes we are too worried about the past or future that we forget to live in the present. whether it be learning how to blow a bubble with gum or buttoning their pants independently for the first time...kids embrace that stuff and own it. i often hear at my house..."i did it all by myself!" ringing out from the other room. kids in my classroom get excited when they write a letter the correct way for the first time. they celebrate each (seeming minuscule) milestone and adults should do that more often. we need to celebrate the little things more and worry less. i have met some amazing people this past year and i am always intrigued by their stories. in this super short life, it's important to really get to know the people that are helping you write the chapters of your own book. i love when people are raw and real and aren't afraid to show you who they really are.

so as another year passes, there are so many lessons that i've learned. my children continue to teach me what life is all about and i hope i am teaching them a thing or two. parenting is one hell of a ride and half the time i feel like i don't know what the hell i am doing. however, my kids seem to be turning out all right...and most importantly, they are happy. all i really want for them in this life is for them to be happy. actually, that's what i want for most of the people in my life...for them to just be happy. with that in mind, get rid of the bullshit that bogs you down, do what makes you happy at the end of the day, and start writing the chapters of your own story with fervor. whether this past year was the best year of your life, or the worst year of your life...you are in control of what you write for yourself this upcoming year. (that, my friends, is a powerful thing!) i am forever thankful for the people who have come in and out of my life this past year and have taught me lessons...especially the little people. i am also thankful for simple things like coffee, wine, and running that have helped to keep me balanced. most importantly, i am thankful that i have made it through another year and lived to tell the tale. when you look back on your book when you are 80 years old...may your stories be part of a best seller. moreover, make this next year your best year yet.