So long 2018. As the country song so eloquently twanged “thank God and Greyhound she’s gone”. There will be no tears shed by me over leaving 2018 behind.
Yesterday I viewed the continual stream of Instagram photo memories people posted, so many smiling faces, staged poses all neat and tidy. Beautiful faces in places to cause the most loyal of followers to drool.
I didn’t take many photos last year. Taking selfies in the midst of conflict and doubt rarely capture reality. Broken hearts. Wounded souls. Damaged thoughts. Estranged relationships. Loved ones died. No, 2018 didn’t bring traveling or an abundance of smiles; nothing about life was neat and tidy.
It certainly felt like more than my share of real life happened – so much life, that some days my only prayer was ‘please don’t let me loose my faith’. Nights ending in tears of relief as I was given the grace to get through one more day.
Yet all is not lost. The year 2018 also brought a tremendous amount of healing. Lives began moving forward. Loving beyond feelings. Caring when I didn’t know I could. Facing fears straight on. Discovering God where I never knew He would be.
I can’t capture all that in an Instagram post, but trust me, it happened.
I begin the year 2019 with hopeful anticipation of the good to come. I often replay one of the bedside conversations I had with mom before she died. Reflecting over her life and being updated on mine, she smiled and said “you know Täni, the best is yet to come”.
Yes it is.
Real Life Happens 