In preparing to write a reflection on a year as it comes to a close, I have often looked back at the photos I've taken. In doing this, I get to watch how the emotions I have while looking back on a year can contradict and resonate with the things I found noteworthy enough over the course of the last twelve months that I photographed them.
Emotionally, this year was a slog. The path from the beginning of the year to now included coming to the end of the process of trying my best to create a life that worked for me in our Previous City, determining that was not possible, then creating and embarking upon the path that led us to our New Home. I am so grateful to be here, where I can finally deeply root myself. I am still adjusting to the beautiful shock of: this really is my life now. It is so good that this change came into fruition, and it was not easy making it happen. I'm still releasing the tension and strain that this change required, as well as the sadness and frustration that are a natural consequence of trying to make myself grow in unyielding soil.
Then, in looking back at the year in photos, there are so many glowing things that happened this year. They signal little oases, desperately needed respites in a long journey. They remind me that along the way, there were many little eddies in the stream where I could take a breath. For annoying technical reasons those photos aren't currently available for me to share, so you'll have to take my word for it that there is pictorial evidence these things occurred.
Abundant Demonstrations
It was extremely important to me to stay involved in demonstrating this year. Each time it was deeply invigorating and hope-instilling. Sadly, as last year, there were many things to show up for, including common sense firearms policy and not forcibly separating children from their parents as families seek asylum.
Great Art
My visits to museums stand out very clearly in my memory this year as nourishing and transporting yet anchoring little vacations. I'm so grateful for the artistic and cultural institutions in this nation across several cities, including this one, this one, this one, and of course this one.
I am also grateful to now live in a city with a vibrant commitment to public art.
Vacations to Beautiful Places with Wonderful People
I have this false narrative in my mind that, because of the stress and expense of moving and changing jobs, I did not do as much traveling this year as I normally would. This makes me sad. However, this isn't wholly true--those travels just happened over the course of long weekends or just weekends to driveable places, as well as the occasional farther-flung trip for a wedding. I'm hoping that Husband and I will get to take a just-us trip somewhere far away in the new year, but in the meantime we did just fine with lots of shorter trips to excellent places in 2018.
New Babies, New Marriages, and Adoptions
Some wonderful new people came into the world this year, and we were happy to celebrate the marriages of some very dear friends and family members. We were also very lucky to make the acquaintance of a sweet little bird before we left Previous City.
I am also so thankful for our loving and extraordinarily handsome cats. We will take a brief break from our photo hiatus to share proof of their beauty:
Excellent Food Eaten and Made
Yeah we did really well on this front. We visited some amazing restaurants and made some incredible meals at home, including recent feasts of local seafood.
Building the Life I Want
And here I am, in my Home. Thank goodness for places that feel like home, and for bright lights to guide us there through the darkness.
Here's to an ever brighter 2019, dear friends. Happy New Year!
{Heart}
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