At the beginning of 2015 the life I had known ended in what felt like a heap of smoldering ash. I was fairly certain that horrible beginning would be the big memory for the year.
But, thanks to my loving family - those related by blood and those not - and a dogged determination to define myself and my world, 2015 will instead be the year I look back to as the time I regained a love of life and rediscovered myself.
Here are 100 things I will remember from this year …
Reaffirming basic truths
1. I am lovable regardless of whether and how anyone else loves me
2. Health and happiness are closely related – and one generally follows the other
3. Living well requires doing the hard work of actually living
4. Acceptance is not an end, but a beginning
2. Health and happiness are closely related – and one generally follows the other
3. Living well requires doing the hard work of actually living
4. Acceptance is not an end, but a beginning
Experiencing amazing adventures
5. Sky diving on Valentines Day
6. Exploring the Florida Caverns
7. Pausing to listen to the rushing waters at Falling Waters State Park
8. 200+ steps down into Devils Millhopper Sinkhole
9. Riding along with a police officer
10. Scavenger hunts by day and night
Visiting beautiful and historic spaces
11. Ah-Nab-Awen Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan
12. Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach, Florida
13. Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida
14. Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana
15. The Carousel at Grand Rapids Public Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan
16. Frank Lloyd Wright architecture of Florida Southern College
17. The Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, Florida
18. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC
19. Nathaniel Russell House in Charleston, South Carolina
20. Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Engaging with interesting and exciting places
21. Catty Shack Ranch
22. Drive in movie in Ocala, Florida
23. Harry Potter World at Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure
24. Market Square in Knoxville, Tennessee
25. Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville
26. Rocket park at Kennedy Space Center
27. Walt Disney World
28. The Beach at the National Building Museum in Washington DC
Professional development (doing my "day job", and ...)
29. Running debates for local elected officials
30. Supervising a statewide political poll
31. Celebrating milestones within my department and my company
32. Serving on the Board of Directors of a local non-profit
33. Serving on the local Operations Advisory Council of a national non-profit
Attending concerts, shows, and movies
34. Book of Mormon
35. Hairspray
36. Inside Out
37. Jurassic World
38. Peanuts Movie
39. Postmodern Jukebox
40. Star Wars VII
41. The Martian
42. Train Wreck
Swing dancing at every opportunity
43. The Orlando Lindy Exchange
44. The Charleston Lindy Exchange
45. The Knoxville Lindy Exchange
46. City Girl Swing Out
47. Grand Rapids Original Swing Society
48. First Coast Blues and Lindy Society
Enjoying delicious food and beverage
49. Alligator
50. Beignets
51. Bourbon infused Oreo cookies
52. Butterbeer
53. Cauliflower chowder
54. Chicken Piccatta
55. Lobster, deep fried on a stick
56. Hummus and carrot sticks
57. Ice (not) cream
58. Not Your Father's Root Beer
59. Red beans and rice
60. Eggrolls, classic and modern
61. Eggs, prepared every way imaginable
62. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
63. Rice, fried with vegetables and chicken
64. Rigatoni Bolognese
65. Roast duck
66. Ropa Vieja
67. Shark kabobs
68. Shrimp etouffee
69. Sushi
70. Thin mint hot chocolate
71. Yellow curry chicken
72. Chicken tacos
Conversation with diverse acquaintances
73. An ambassador
74. A governor
75. A news anchor
76 A transvestite
77. A great grandmother
78. A carpenter
79. A picture framer
80. A Naval officer
81. A Marine
82. A Police Special Taskforce Squad
Soaking in moments in time
83. Morning walks
84. Late night talks
84. Late night talks
85. Trivia nights
86. Board game days
87. Dinner breaks
88. Sunday brunch
89. A surprise birthday
90. Quiet holidays
89. A surprise birthday
90. Quiet holidays
Accepting life as it comes
91. Saying hard goodbyes
91. Saying hard goodbyes
92. Learning how to say hello
93. Becoming friends with a roommate
93. Becoming friends with a roommate
94. Letting the past be a teacher rather than a dictator
95. Making, accepting, and declining invitations to dance or to coffee
96. Figuring out what to do when "the plan" is a blank slate and I didn't have any chalk (PS: the answer is "buy chalk")
97. Giving thoughtfulness, time, and energy to the people and purposes I care about
98. Setting realistic goals and celebrating the awesomeness of meeting them - and the freedom to change them
99. Letting go without lashing out
100. Loving myself
Cheers and Happy New Year
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