A New Year

Maybe this makes me old, but I remember 1999 when there was fear and anxiety about this scary new millennium. All of our computers were going to crash, automobiles would stop working and mass chaos would ensue. What good all that worrying did, right? Good thing we won't have to worry about that again for a while.

With the new year comes a fresh start, and I made a new year's resolution. I am going to write more on my blog. Ambitious I know, but I think with some hard work, introspective thinking, and perseverance, it can be done. I have a habit of starting and stopping things with the intent to continue on, but for some reason, continuing tasks with no clear end in sight tend to slip through my fingers until it is too late and it becomes a lost cause. But not today! And if you are like me, I challenge you to pick something that you really want to pursue, whether it is playing an instrument, learning a foreign language, learning to cook, or any other activity that you may enjoy through life, continue on! Work at it! While you most likely will not see any immediate results, you will appreciate the day you look back and see what great things you have accomplished.

As someone who graduated from college a few years ago, I truly enjoyed the friendships I grew in my four years, but as the convenience of my friends living next door or down the hall disappeared with graduation, I realized how much time and effort friendships can take. If you are heading into your final semester of high school, I am sure that this inevitable event is beginning to hang over you (if it wasn't and now is, sorry!) as you gear up for your final semester. Enjoy the time you spend with those people, but also keep your eyes on the future. You have endless possibilities before you, and choosing college is one of the most influential decisions you will make. Yes the degree matters, but more importantly, where you end up will determine who you meet and who you are surrounded by. It determines what experiences you will have, how you will grow, what you will learn, and where your future will lead. So take the time in the college search to evaluate everything. Yes money matters, but will the different schools you are looking at give you a chance to become a leader? Can you truly learn the academic content while using it to serve others and make the world a better place? Will you be happy there? I hope you find somewhere that gives you answers to those questions...I was glad I found that place for me.

Good luck on the new year, and if you have any interesting, outlandish, or just plain sincere new year's resolutions, feel to post them on a reply. I think putting those out there can make them more concrete and I would enjoy hearing them. Regardless, enjoy the fresh start and in these winter months, stay warm! Unless of course you are from the south, enjoy the not so hot months! I leave you with this thought...

If 7-11 stores are open 24 hours/day, 365 days/year, why are there locks on the door?

Until next time,

Ryan