Highlights of Year 23
Wow. Where did the time go? It felt like this year flew by in an instant. Now, I am 24 and ready for the new adventures that await me. 23 was quite the rollercoaster. If you told me the events that would unfold from this year at the start, I wouldn’t believe you! Nevertheless, I am glad that Year 23 was this good. God has blessed me with the gift of life, and I am forever grateful. Here are a few things from Year 23 that made it special:
1. Having reunions with my girlfriends from near and far
How lucky am I to have fabulous friends! My gal pals are truly the best. This year, I got to visit my girls in Northern California, Washington D.C., Nevada, Georgia, Spain, and Mexico! I am incredibly fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to work remotely. Remote work gave me the chance to travel and close the gap in my long-distance friendships. Graduating from college, I knew that I would not be able to see my friends as frequently as I once did. I am so grateful that I have so many great friends who were willing to host me in this year of travel. It was fun exploring new cityscapes, hiking different terrain, and trying delicious cuisine with them. They say that virtuous friends are hard to come by. I thank God every day for the people that walk by my side in this journey of life!
2. Walking down memory lane
My friend, Michael, came from Singapore to study abroad in California. It was such a blessing to have him stay with me and my family in the first few months of the year. He became my confidant, brother, and best friend. In a period of heartache and sorrow, Michael brought me closer to Jesus. His soothing and calm presence became a light in my life and a source of comfort. We did a lot of things together in California. From walking along the pacific coast highway to driving up the mountains, Michael and I shared a treasure chest full of memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. Though he is oceans away from me now, I know that the goodbye is temporary. Our hello is just around the corner.
3. Growing in ministry
I have grown so much in my faith, and it is all thanks to the young adult ministry at St. Elizabeth Seton. At the start of the year, I was pretty complacent with my relationship with Jesus. Attending SEEK ignited this fire in me to want more out of my faith. With the help of two friends, we started a young adult ministry at my home parish. It’s growing and thriving. I have made incredible friends and have had many opportunities to dive deeper in my relationship with Jesus. From teaching confirmation to leading a bible study, there have been so many ways in which I have grown in my faith. I praise God for allowing me to cultivate such a beautiful community. He truly knows how to lead me to goodness, and I continually see how this ministry has blessed me.
4. Being gracious to myself
I am my own worst critic. For most of my life, I have struggled with perfectionism. I always want things to be perfect, but life doesn’t really pan out that way. As a serial perfectionist, this statement is especially hard for me to accept. I often stare at the mirror and pick apart the things that I don’t like about myself. The scar running down my spine. The stretch marks on my knees. The hyperpigmentation on my face. But I came to the conclusion that being overly critical of myself was a waste of my time. Nobody is airbrushed to perfection. It’s physically impossible. So, I adopted a different exercise. Instead of staring at the mirror and focusing on the things that I didn’t like, I focused on the things that I was grateful for. This has helped me become gentler and kinder to myself.
I am excited to see what Year 24 has to offer. If it’s anything like Year 23, it will be full of unexpected turns. But I trust my Maker and believe that He knows what’s meant for me. So, here’s to another year of abundant blessings and adventure! Make sure to subscribe to my mailing list for more highlights in my life! You can find more life-related posts here. Stay tuned for more updates on my adventures.
Emily
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Thanks for sharing!