It’s been so long since I’ve blogged that WordPress looks totally foreign to me. I mean really, did they update this thing? I swear it was laid out differently before.
I haven’t written a post since Christmas, but it hasn’t been for lack of things to write about. What brought me back to my blog was an anniversary.
May 20th, which fell on this weekend a year ago, was the day I graduated college. I wrote a post then about my dance team, my family, my boyfriend, and my house mates; about how much I loved them all.
Now, a year later (how can it have already been a year?), I look back at the last fifty two weeks in shock of how much has changed, and how much has stayed the same.
A few short weeks after graduation, I got a job and up and moved to Brighton. After two months there I moved again to be closer to the job that I quit two months later. I then finished out the month in Swampscott, MA playing Portal 2, job searching and reading Game of Thrones on the beach. After that I moved home, feeling as though I was back at square one. Two weeks after moving home, I found and started a new job.
Just over two months later, I was promoted at that job and marveling at how much I actually liked it.
Then, about a month ago, Joey and I made the decision to move in together, and two weeks ago we spent our first night in Downtown Hartford in our new apartment.
So, to recap, in the past year, I’ve had two jobs and moved five times.
A midst all this change however, there have been a few constants.
I’ve made it back to school several times. First semester I was helping coach the dance team on Monday nights. Even after I moved home, I found myself there every few weekends visiting friends and my sister. When I wasn’t visiting school, I often found myself in Boston visiting all those housemates who rooted themselves there together.
The most active thread on my phone is that between me and my four best girl friends from school.
I spent most evenings last week at my dance studio, rehearsing the alumni piece for the recital.
I even managed to re-create my favorite panini from school on the George Foreman the other night.
And of course, my unwavering boyfriend supported me through every move and both jobs and even let me convince him to move in with me months ahead of schedule when I found a place I loved.
So.
A year ago when everyone felt as though everything was about to change, I was panicked about losing the things I had loved most about the last four years. But now, a year later, I’ve realized that most things change only if you let them. Friendships, relationships, what you value, are all under your control.
Things you can’t change or can’t control? Things that come to pass happen for a reason. Every opportunity that doesn’t pan out is a lesson. Even when you feel as though you are backtracking, you must realize life never ever goes backwards only forwards. Every unforeseen challenge is a test, a chance to learn, and an opportunity to reaffirm that you are going in the right direction. If you weren’t, it wouldn’t be worth fighting to get there.
It’s impossible for me to scroll down my news feed these days without seeing statuses and photos from this year’s graduating seniors and reminiscing about where I was a year ago. But when I do, it’s a fond memory, not a sad longing for days gone. I still have everything I loved about my life a year ago, and for that I am so, so thankful.
MMWords 