Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025
I was talking with Dan this morning about how I planned to stay home tonight for NYE. This was one of my responses to him...
My “you only live once” philosophy has become...yeah, I’m only going to live once. So rather than do a whole lot of things, I’m going to do the things that already make me happy. I may find some new things along the way. But today, I’m already happy. Why chase anything else!?! I don’t need things to bring meaning to my life. My life already has meaning. I’m going to bring the meaning to the things I do. This has been a life changer!
I've said something similar a few times this year, I believe...hehehe
I originally planned to spend the evening at Disney World. I decided it wasn't where I wanted to be tonight after all. As I told that guy on Dapper Day last month, I'm always right where I am supposed to be. Tonight, I believe that will be at home...hehehe
I'm glad I've journaled all year. I don't really need to do a recap of the highlights of my year. All of the best things were documented here along the way. There were some things I didn't get around to writing about. Perhaps they weren't as important as the things I did write about? Nah, they were important too...LOL But I'm glad I did write all of the things I did write about. None of it brought meaning to my life. My life already had meaning. But everything I experienced does have a lot of meaning all their own.
The truth is, God brought the meaning. He is the author of my life. He is the one who has been blessing me with the people, places, and things of my year...and my entire life. This was the best year of my life. Not because of the events...although so many wonderful memories happened. Not because of circumstances...some did get better, but some got worse. Because I grew as a person, this was my best year ever. I’m grateful for 2024.
Melissa had posted that her 2024 has been a challenge. But she was being optimistic and included a graphic about how the best (friends, moments, songs, days...etc) was ahead of her. I posted a reply that said, All of the best things to come will carry you through the worst things. She told me that she loved that and it made my heart happy that she loved it.
Even though the bad and negative seems to get a lot of attention, all of the good things are actually brighter than the bad. Darkness cannot overcome the light. Especially the Light from God. Life is full of bad, negative, and dark things. I'd even go so far as to say there is probably a lot more bad than good from a human perspective. But I've also learned to find God's goodness in all of it.
I've journaled about these things before. Especially in the devotional and Bible study journals. Life really is hard. I'll not deny that. I'll also not deny that God is carrying me through all of those hard things. It brings me great comfort to know he is with me through it all. And I'm so grateful he has given me a spirit and passion to share that comfort with others.
I feel as though I grew more in this one year than all of my years before combined...LOL Linda sent me a DM this morning on Instagram making mention of how much I've changed this year. It was quite validating to receive that message out of the blue. She lives in Australia. So she and hers are already in 2025...LOL I asked her, How is 2025!?! Should I keep going into the new year?!? just kidding LOL That's when she went on about how much I've changed this year. I told her, From the inside out, I'm going to keep growing. This is only the beginning!
I'm grateful Cherie accepted my invitation to join me on my journey. Her witnessing and her encouragement this year was beyond validating. What I already felt inside my soul she would then tell me through our daily talks. That definitely blew some wind in my sails this year. She was witness to things most people will never hear about. But everyone still gets to see the results of that growth because it all happened from the inside out. What she saw happening on the inside is now shining brightly for everyone else to see. Thank you, Cherie, for coming along on my journey and helping to keep me going ❤️ Thank you for showing me all of the things I need to see ❤️
A few months ago, Valerie told me that I'm a kind soul. She also said that I'm deep...in a good way. I read what I write and think I'm too deep sometimes, though...LOL Nah, I'm not too deep. Just like I'm always right where I'm supposed to be, I'm also always who I am supposed to be. I have my playful and silly side as well...LOL
I found so many new ways to express myself this year. Whether it be making silly videos or singing silly songs as Budford, I can sure make people laugh...at meeeeeee...LOL I've also enjoyed exploring a dapper side of who I am. Not to mention dressing in my Olaf bound with my silly hat...LOL I'll be dressing up for my solo party at home tonight as I ring in the new year...hehehe
It really is all about balancing my life. Being serious and deep while also being silly and playful. Same goes for diet and exercise. Laughter and crying. You name it! Yin yang...hehehe I use to think I had times when my balance would be off and I would go into an uncontrolled spin or something. I never feel that anymore. What I had to do was give control over to God...LOL
Work let us out a few hours early today. It wasn't as early as they did on Christmas Eve. But I always appreciate all the blessings I have with them. 2 hours was still amazing. It also gave me a chance to get in a nice nap...LOL I won't be working until Thursday as I have tomorrow off for New Year's Day 😃
I took a couple of leisurely walks today. It was nice to just walk and pray. I've been walking at an exercise pace for so long now, it was really nice to just walk instead...LOL I was able to capture some videos. Some of them are of a few birds. One of them is the one I named Bob...hehehe I have no idea if it is always the same bird. But it has been fun seeing the birds this year. I may try to get some photos out of the videos. Something else that has been fun the last few months...hehehe
I made a list of my New Year's Resolutions and things I'd like to do in 2025. The resolutions are things I plan to be unwavering with. The other things are just some basic stuff I'd like to try. I'm sure there will be other things added to the list throughout the year...well, not really added. I have a good feeling that some unexpected things will come to the journey again this year...hehehe I'm looking forward to all of it ❤️
As I said above, I'll be dressing up for my private NYE party...hehehe I had planned to dress dapper for my time at the Disney parks. But since I decided to stay home, I wasn't going to bother. But then I realized, I have fun dressing up. I'm not going anywhere. So it is a bit silly and weird. That's okay...hehehe It'll be fun!
I'll be celebrating the new year twice again this year...LOL The first one will be in my timezone. The second is the Pacific timezone for California. I did that last year too. But last year, I was at Disney. I got back to my room before 3am for the California celebration. It was mostly just me staying awake and then sending a few texts...hehehe This year, Cherie and I will be starting the new year with communion.
I'll also be listening Guy Lombardo's Auld Lang Syne at the California celebration. Cherie always listens to it. After we listen to that, we'll do communion. For my timezone, I'll watch the Time Square ball drop. I may make a few phone calls too...hehehe In order for me to watch the ball drop again for California, though, I'd have to watch it on like YouTube or something. I don't have any west coast feeds of it. Cherie mentioned they show it there too on the 3 hour delay for the time difference.
I'm going to have a second dinner tonight. Staying up through 3am tonight will take a little more fuel than I typically have in a day...LOL I actually didn't eat much at my normal dinner. I don't eat nearly as much as I did before my health journey began...LOL I'm glad I don't overeat anymore.
Well, I feel like I'm babbling now...hehehe I really wanted to journal today since it is the last day of the year.
Goodbye 2024! You've been great! Thank you for being on the journey ❤️
Hello 2025! It's nice to meet you! Welcome to the journey ❤️