Another Year Over...

...and a new one begun.

Happy New Year, everybody!

I just love a new year. This should come as no surprise considering I love new calendars, notebooks for the first day of school, journals, shoes, jars of peanut butter, etc... I love these things when they are new because they have nothing on them. No markings, no wear. However I love even more making marks on these new things (well, except for the shoes). Admit it, there's something fun about being the first person to mess up a fresh jar of peanut butter. Or maybe I'm just a little "unique". So in thinking about this new year ahead, I began to think about what kind of mark I am going to make on it. I don't make resolutions. However I have been known to make a "life improvement" or two around January 1. Last year, I decided to take a vitamin everyday. About 4 years ago, I cut out french fries...which has proven to be a wise choice as it's opened up more room in my diet for cookies and ice cream. This year I've got nothing. Perhaps I'll just practice maintenance on the improvements I've previously made.

Whenever a new year begins, I also like to look back on the prior year and think about the things that happened that I would have never anticipated. For instance, if anyone had told me on January 2, 2007 that on January 2, 2008 I would be living in Athens and in grad school at UGA, I would have laughed in that person's face. Loudly. Alas, here I sit. Last year wasn't my best year yet and as a result, I did more taking than giving. I do hope to reverse that trend in 2008. So many friends and relatives did so much for me that it's time I return a little of that kindness in the year ahead.

Back to my thoughts about making a mark on 2008... I challenge you all to make your mark in some way. When I was thinking about making my mark, I started to get a little anxiety and I thought..."oh gosh, what if I make the wrong mark?" (Of course I would think of a way to incorporate worry into this activity) But then I thought about when an artist has a clean canvas in front of them before painting a picture. If he or she messes up on that very first stroke, then there are two options: throw the canvas away or figure out how to use that wrong mark to paint another picture. Sure, it may not be the original plan for that canvas, but that's not to say the picture won't be as beautiful. Chances are, it will be even better than the artist could have imagined. This is my hope for you all...that 2008 will be even better than you can begin to imagine.