Friday, Dec. 31, 2004
... Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
Here it is... the promised/threatened year-end recap. Since I saw so many musicals and so much theatre this year (and since "Rent" was one of my favorites), I thought I'd use the song "Seasons of Love" as my starting point to discuss 2004. So, here goes...
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Moments So Dear
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure -
Measure A Year?
In Daylights
Every day in which I see daylight is a good one. That's one way to look at it, right? If I can see the sun; if I can feel it on my skin; if I can watch a noonday sky; if I know that I'm more alive than I was yesterday, it's a good day. It wasn't always like that this year, but I tried. I'm trying. I'm learning to look at each day, regardless of what it brings, as a gift, and to see the good in it, because it's God's day.
In Sunsets
I saw many, many more sunsets than I did sunrises, that's for sure. Actually, we get a pretty good view of the sunset out our window at work, despite Superstore being in the way. We get a good view of the sunset over the mountains, and there have been some really pretty ones this fall. I think I got to see the sun set over the Mediterranean, too, when we were in... Nice, I think. That was a really cool thing to see. Actually, I'm pretty sure I saw several sunsets in really cool places, like Nice, Palma, Paris, and Barcelona. Probably in most of the cities that I was in, but those are some of the more memorable ones.
In Midnights
Midnight phone conversations with
Laurel; sleepovers with
Andria; load-ins, tech weeks, and shows that keep me at the theatre until the wee hours of the morning; taking my computer and my journals to Denny's for a midnight writing spurt; staying up until it's almost morning, and then sleeping until it's almost afternoon; walking the streets of Nice on a warm summer night after being serenaded by a jazz trio in a tiny, smoky bar; trying to sleep on trains that take us flying through the night to destinations unknown, waking up in a different country in the morning; long nights on airplanes and in airports--just another leg of this long journey; curling up with a novel for that sacred half-hour of me-time before bed... Midnight is one of the most magical times of the day.
In Cups Of Coffee
Always ever so many of those. I think that one of the most memorable was the one at Moxies with
Laurel on August 9, the day after I saw
Collateral. Who knew that a movie like that would end up being so life-changing. I frequent Starbucks a lot, though. There's always coffee to be had, and there's always something to talk about. Those are the best conversations. And, more than that, "coffee" is such a catch-all phrase for doing something together--hanging out. "Let's go for coffee sometime," really, in today's jargon, means, "Let's hang out and talk." Whether or not we actually get buzzed on caffeine is a totally moot point.
In Inches
Sadly, one or two more of those around my waist. Not too many--not irreparably so--but enough that I notice it. Yeah, I'm working on it. 2005 will be the year of the weight loss.
In Miles
Many of those. Not as many in road trip form as I might have liked, but there were many miles travelled, criss-crossing Europe by planes, trains, and automobiles, and zipping around a few different provinces. Places visited this year? Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Waterloo, London, Paris, Salzburg, Florence, Rome, Palma, Nice, Monaco, Cannes, Barcelona, Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, various Swedish small towns... I didn't make it to the US at all this year (I don't think), nor do I think that I ever hit BC. But still, in miles covered, it was quite the productive year.
In Laughter
The beautiful thing about my life is that there's always laughter. I think that this year, I learned to laugh with my sister, which is an accomplishment. We're still not best friends, but we're closer than we were, and that's a good thing. There's always something to smile at, though, and I'm so blessed to have people in my life who bring that out--people like
Laurel,
Becky, Ismarys,
Laura... the ones who make work and play an adventure, and who give me random reasons to laugh every day--sometimes so hard that I can hardly breathe!
In Strife
And no year is complete without some problems. The biggest ones were (without going into detail) probably with roommates and with school, both within the first half of the year, for the most part. It's discouraging and frustrating, especially when it seems to come out of nowhere, and the when the effects are much longer lasting than the problems themselves. It's not the end of the world, though--at least, in this case, it wasn't. Yeah, there was strife, but it wasn't with the people who make my world. It was with people who are important, for sure (otherwise it wouldn't be important enough to cause such distress), but who aren't the most important. And life goes on. Friendships and relationships change, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, but things always move forward.
In -
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure
A Year In The Life
How About Love?
How About Love?
How About Love?
Measure In Love
Seasons Of Love
Seasons Of Love
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Journeys To Plan
I'm planning the next step of my journey--to the point where I had to write out a 20-page paper outlining the next five years of my life--but all that has to be taken into perspective. We can plan our life's journeys, but God reserves all right to take us down roads we thought were only detours and turn them into the main event. So, yes, I'm planning my next journey. I know what I want it to look like, and I have concrete goals that will help to get me there, but at the same time, I'm acutely mindful of the fact that my plans will change, and that God may have somewhere else to take me; somewhere that I don't even know about yet.
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure The Life
Of A Woman Or A Man?
There are days when I still feel like I'm 10 years old, but you know, I'm not. I'm an adult. I pay my own bills, I have a job, I have a degree. A woman? It still feels foreign.
In Truths That She Learned
More than I could ever count. And I'm not there yet. But 2004 overlapped my three most recent journeys. It saw the exploration of the importance of being named come to a peak (with my showcase)--even though I'll never finish exploring it, it feels like God is moving me on to more. It's taken me through the middle--through the thick--of learning about submission... what does it mean? Why do I have to do it? Who do I submit to? How is it worship? And lastly, it's taken me into the beginning of legacy. Where have I come from? Who's shaped me? What influences are there? How will I influence future generations? And that lesson is just beginning--that's a journey that I'm only just embarking on, but those are three of the biggest truths that have marked 2004 for me.
Or In Times That He Cried
I look back, and I see that I need God to soften my heart. Oh, I've definitely cried this year--sometimes for good reason; sometimes for nothing more than PMS--and sometimes I've been caught; sometimes it's been in private. But still, there are things that break my heart; things that I should be broken over, and I need to learn to let my heart be broken for the things that break God's heart.
However, one time I don't cry is when I'm slicing onions--apparently people with contacts can cut them without crying. It does a nasty number on the throat and nasal cavity, though!
In Bridges He Burned
Sadly, there are always a few of those. There are relationships that aren't the same as they were a year ago, and I don't know if they'll ever get back. But, as I also learned this year, it's never too late to try again, and to try to rebuild those bridges.
Or The Way That She Died
Thankfully, no one close to me died this year. I saw the deaths of several older people, though, who lived life with grace, courage, and faith, and who I would do well to emulate as I get older. I learned more about my family--my ancestors--the people whose heritage and faith legacy has shaped me, and I'm realizing that even though they're gone, their influence is still strong, and their prayers are still being answered.
It's Time Now - To Sing Out
Artistically, this has been a really interesting year. My showcase was, obviously, a pretty big part of that, but beyond that, I've been exploring what I do, what I want to do, and how it all fits together. How do I stay creative when I spend 40 hours a week making subs? How do I keep feeding myself when I'm working on 3 or 4 shows at a time? I don't know all the answers, but I'm learning by trial and error. And I'm discovering more and more about the importance of keeping the inner artist at the forefront of my life, because that's what God created me to be, and if I try to stifle it, that's no good for anyone. I've been stretched, through the showcase, the Christmas show, the prep work for next year at Christmas, the work I'm doing on "Under a Bridge"... all those things are helping to build me and shape me, and one of these days, I really will be ready to start my company.
And, just for the fun of it, while we're on the topic of creativity, let's count the shows that went up in 2004: "Waiting For a Name," "Shakespeare Bytes," "The Hobbit," "The Death and Life of Sneaky Fitch," and "'Round Your Front Door." I do believe that's it for those.
Tho' The Story Never Ends
I'm beginning to learn the meaning of legacy. The importance of being connected to the past and realizing my impact on the future. I am part of a very long chain of people who have been interconnected to bring me to where I am--especially in regards to family--and I'm only a small part of the chain that will shape and define future generations. This is the latest journey that God is taking me on, and there's a lot to learn. There are a lot of things that I don't know or appreciate--yet--about my family, and about where I come from, but I'm starting to realize the importance of who I am and the pieces of my past and future that I carry around with me.
Let's Celebrate
There was a lot to celebrate this year: Graduating from Rocky with
Laurel,
Chelsea,
Janel, and
Jen. The birth of Jakob Christopher to
Kathy and
Christian. The birth of David Asher to
Cindy and Dave.
Jen and Mike's wedding. The birth of Skylar Elizabeth-Anne to
Lynsae and Jereme. Laurel's new job.
Blair's trips to Granada and England.
Laura being accepted to Olds College. The birth of Sullivan James to Christy and Peter. Rob and Stephanie's engagement.
Brian and Tara's engagement.
Andria, Edwin, and Heather graduating from high school.
Remember A Year In The Life Of Friends
Yeah, it's been a good "friends" year. I've drifted from some, but I've gained some precious, precious people.
Blair,
Becky, and Ismarys have been some of the biggest surprises--they've made work fun, and they've become family to me, and I'm more intertwined in their lives than I ever expected. My friendship with
Laurel continues to surprise and bless me every time I talk to her, and I can't imagine life without it.
Kat and I have mended some bridges, and most of the time, I can't remember why we weren't in each other's lives for so long.
Tracey and Wanda have let me fly in different directions, and spending time with them opens my eyes to the many, many doors that are wide open in front of me. Mike, Scott, and Heather are teaching me to lead and to minister, and they let me learn by being patient with my mistakes and celebrating my triumphs. Kim has been one of those people who is just constant and steady, and who I honestly didn't really expect to still be such a part of my life. My kids--Andria, Edwin, Ed, Mike, Sean, Esther, Vickie, Meghan, Mel, Tristan--continue to be lifesavers, and always make me so proud as I watch them grow up.
A journey of four years with Dave, Janel, Chelsea, Janna, Jen, Jordan, and Sharla culminated this year, and even though all of those friendships have changed, I walked away from RMC with some very precious memories, and 8 people who will always have that irreplacable part of my heart. Logan and Chris taught me about patience and being a friend in the day to day aspects of living with someone.
Jen and I are closer than ever, and now it's the phone bills, not the postage (as much), that's keeping things alive. Laura is, as always, my rock--the stability of someone who has seen me through all the good and the bad, and I think that both of us are surprised at how easily we always pick up where we left off.
"Remember a year in the life of friends," hey? That's where some of the best memories come from. And somehow, it's so difficult to distill it all down to a sentence each--a nutshell recap of the biggest events in these friendships. They're so much more than that, and there are so many more people than that--more relationships that gave this year the life and the spice that it needed.
Remember The Love
Remember The Love
Remember The Love
Measure In Love
It's impossible to measure the love in life. Love from family, friends, mentors, teachers, but most of all, from God. It's immeasurable, and though there are days when I feel it more clearly than others, it's forever, unchanging, and constant. It's bigger than I am--it goes so far beyond my insecurities and insufficiencies, and that's a comforting thought.
Measure, Measure Your Life In Love
Seasons Of Love...
Seasons Of Love
infinite ||
abyss
posted at 1:06 p.m.
