In 2014 I learnt that wishing for something with all your might for something won't make it happen. I had issues with my weight and actually got off my ass and did something about it, and it felt bloody amazing. It was one of the most gratifying things I had done for myself in a while, and I was proud of myself for doing it for me.
In 2014 it was reaffirmed to me that every single thing happens for a reason. God makes no mistakes. All that you go through has a purpose to serve in your life. It may not always be clear why, but I've learnt to trust in His perfect will to be done and everything will fall into place. It's a long story, but a disastrous Chemistry finals practical in high school set the ball rolling for me to be studying in one of the best research universities in the US. I kid you not.
In 2014 I learnt that sources of indescribable joy comes in small packages. I am yet to meet the new addition to our family, but I love him so so much already, and even a thousand miles away, I can tell that that tiny human being has shone a bright light in a household where shadows had been cast.
In 2014 I learnt that I'm a pretty perfect version of myself. When I was starting to figure out who I am, I realized that I'm very introverted, I'm perfectly fine with spending hours on my own, I'm uncomfortable in large social gatherings, I detest small talk, I'm empathetic to just about everything, I'm fairly good at reading people, I'm extremely private (still can't believe how much I share on this blog) and I'm emotional. I used to think that no one naturally has that much of an affinity for solitude. Then I discovered I'm an INFJ, a very rare personality type, making up less than 1% of the world's population. This is how I'm built, and I'm unapologetically me.
In 2014 I learnt that nothing is set in stone. For the longest time ever I've been telling anyone who'd listen that it is my life-long dream of becoming a doctor. Medicine was it for me; ask me what my second choice would be, I would look at you with utmost confidence and declare,"There are no other choices." In high school, I'd had a passing thought that if it wasn't for my undying adoration for medicine, engineering would be an option, maybe (I was one of those kids who loved physics). I never really gave it much thought, though. Welp folks, I got to college and fell in love. With biomedical engineering.
In 2014 I learnt that American slang is stupid, Americans speak shockingly bad English for people whose only language is English, and they curse unnecessarily frequently. I am in a land where "I can't even" is a complete sentence, anything difficult is "disgusting", the word "like" is, like, used, like, instead of, like, pauses, like, in, like, sentences, people constantly "literally die" and make you wish you were dead, and if you don't like something you're "not into that life" (face-palming for days). Also, the crazies dwell in Walmart.
In 2014 I learnt that a large number of people sadly think that it's wrong to hold an opinion different from theirs, to be different from them, and are incapable of viewing things from someone else's perspective, and I'm so thankful I'm more open-minded than that, and because of that I've met really great people who aren't Catholic, straight, dark-skinned, African. Don't hate what you don't understand. There's far too much to learn.
On January 1st I declared 2014 to be my year, and it turned out better than my wildest dreams. To 2015 I say, surprise me (but please be nice); I'm ready.
"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, "It will be happier.""
-Alfred Tennyson
Wishing you an amazing New Year.
