Jordan Pond tea in my fish mug from Maine. Thinking back over the year, not wondering where time went.

I certainly learned a lot — hard lessons, as all truly useful ones are. In addition to finding new depths of strength and courage, I also learned about my capacity for jealousy, meanness, weakness, resentment… I stretched to my limits, good and bad.

That’s worth something though, to know. How can you live honestly unless you know all that’s in you, unless you’ve faced everything you are? I’m glad for all of it; I feel prepared to go into the new year, armed with clarity about what lasts, about how to be strong and responsible for myself, about adventures that aren’t worth having, about friendships that are true and good for me and friendships that are not, and I’m hopeful to have a little more wisdom, a little more compassion for the lonely, and a little more insight into life that’s worth living and how to step forward without looking back.

I’m very grateful for my faith. It’s been the grounding element throughout the last months, and I’m stronger. I’m grateful for my family, ever faithful. I’m grateful for friends who’ve come alongside, who understand that life happens in seasons and who’ve proven themselves in difficult times. And I’m grateful for the people I met this year who gave of themselves and made life easier in significant ways — I’ll treasure them forever and will try to pass that grace along.

Hey, 2020…