farewell, 2014

This year flew right past me. Growing up as a kid, you count on your fingers to when you're going to finish school.

"It's 2000 and I'm in second grade, so I still have 10 more years of school then 4 more of college...so that's 1, 2, 3, 4...-- 2014 I will be finished with school." Who am I kidding -- in second grade I was a beast at minute math, I'm sure I would've done that addition in a second, but needless to say, I'm sure those thoughts came across my head.

And now I'm 23, graduated from university, working, and 2014 is shortly coming to an end. Strange that to my watch, one tick is no different from the next. Nothing makes 11:59:59 on December 31, 2014 different from 12:00:00 Jan 1, 2015. It's just another tick like it has always been. (Sidenote: I purchased a watch over Thanksgiving break and it's coming in more handy than I thought.)

Yet to us, these ticks keep track of time for us. With every birth and every death, with every slow year and with every fleeting year, we're reminded that life has a beginning and an end. I love (and fear) the quote, "Man lives as though death shall never come to him, but dies in a way as if he were never born." Three years back, I'd say, of course I'm living, and I can spot the fools that are not. Three years later and a little wiser, maybe I'm a little more cautious to say the same.

Well...I'm going to get off my ass and stop trying to think of something clever to say and actually go have some conversation with my parents.

I welcome you, 2015. I have no idea what you will bring, but I hope I can enjoy the ride.