You started off with such hope and wonder. I clearly thought you would be a continuation of 2015 which I would say to this date was extremely memorable. I was ready to fly to higher heights and soar above the mountains in my life. Then YOU happened. You showed up and pulled the rug from under my feet and had me to fall on my butt. Everything I hoped and dreamed you would be turned out to be the complete opposite. Instead of delivering me to the next level like I thought you would, you left me in the waiting room. I waited and waited and waited for what I hoped you would be to show up. And while I waited, I flipped through several magazines filled with the successes of others hoping that the little window in your office would open and my name would be called into greatness.

My name wasn’t called and out of pure frustration, I canceled our appointment, went home and pouted.

I was HOT with you. But when summer rolled around, you surprised me. I went on my first cruise. You reunited my siblings for the first time in over 20 years. You showed me that I have the confidence to do anything I put my mind to, in spite of what others say. To top it all off, you birthed a love in me that I never knew existed. Out of the whole year, the last 5 months were the most memorable, even amidst disappointments and the grief from the passing of comrades (not to mention celebrity pillars from my childhood). In the disappointments and grief, you showed me that I need to live a life worth remembering (…..and that I need to hurry up, live it and stop waiting for everything to be “perfect”).

2016, I am going to thank you for your service. You accomplished what you were set out to do in my life. And that was to show me that life is not scripted like a Netflix or network tv series. It is to be appreciated and “lived in”, not covered in plastic like mom’s furniture from back in the day or only brought out like fine china during special occasions then put away when done. We are to live life “full strength” holding nothing back. As I look to 2017 with gratitude and thanks, I will make room for 2017 to be what it is as I desire to live life full strength withholding nothing.