Things I Learned in 2009

Last year was definitely a crazy, unpredictable, and challenging year. Instead of recapping the happenings of 2009, I thought it might be more meaningful for me to sum up the things I learned. After-all, I think the only thing that makes challenges worth while is to learn something from them.

-Gratitude. Marcus had three different employers this last year (not completely by his own choice, mind you), but never went a day unemployed. We were offered help and support in a variety of ways through a variety of circumstances by family members and friends all through out the year. How can you not learn to have a bit more gratitude when you feel so loved and blessed?

-Sacrifice. Sometimes it's not about what you have that brings joy.. but what you are willing to sacrifice to help yourself or others. Time, money, things, etc. Making sacrifices for meaningful purposes truly bought joy into my life throughout the year. I learned that to give really feels better than to get. And to give up sometimes feels better than to keep.

-Hope. I would say that hope was the biggest lesson I learned in 2009. I learned that hope literally means to look forward to something with desire and reasonable confidence. Hope is based on positive and possible expectation. I didn't realize how often I expected the worst out of situations or people until this year. Hope is a beautiful thing, and I think there are many reasons to have a bright hope for the future.

-Lastly, I learned that my family has strength. Through all the challenges and struggles Marcus and I just grew closer and closer together. We became stronger for one another, for our children, and for ourselves. I have less fear about what trials life may bring us, because I feel quite sure that through it all we will be ok.

So here's the thing. I keep saying how hard last year was for us.. and it was. But in retrospect, it feels like one of the best years of my life. It was certainly one of the most blessed years of my life.