Post by brittanydyan
November 25, 2009 at 6:39 pm
***My friend Molly challenged her blogging friends to express thanks in some form or fashion, in a truthful way. In other words, avoid cliche. It’s easy to note that I am thankful for family, friends, place, and work. It’s harder to explain wholly why and impossible to do it in a single blog post. I’m not sure if I meet the challenge, and I will inevitably leave something out, but here is my attempt.
In the past year, I am thankful that Will’s experience with MRSA infection resulted only with a few months of inconvenience and an interesting montage of post surgery toe photos. Our families took care of us in innumerable ways during the weeks surrounding the foot injury. Friends showed their concern. Will’s boss and co-workers encouraged him to work from home and went out of their way to make it possible for him to do so.
In the past 2.5 years, I am thankful for finding family and feelings of home away from home. We moved to the DC area nearly 2 and a half years ago, and we still miss family, friends, and Georgia. Yet, the more time we live here, the more we feel like we have another home here. I am thankful for the friends in our church community group that have become our family. I am thankful for my graduate school support system of friends. Commiserating and celebrating with these friends makes graduate school bearable on the bad days and a blast on the good ones.
In the past 5 years, I am thankful that Will became a big part of my life and chose to love me when I’m easy to love and when I’m not. With Will came Will’s parents, who accepted me as their daughter. And after 23 years of being an only child, I got a brother too! I’m thankful that I got to know David as a real brother and close friend as we all lived in DC together.
In the past 10 years, I am thankful for something that I never thought I would be thankful for–not dating. Let me explain. I didn’t date in high school and not by choice. I barely talked to guys because I was so shy around them, but at the same time, I was so hurt that I was rarely asked out. While this was painful (as many high school girls know), I have only recently been able to see this past void as allowing room and space in my life for some truly remarkable friendships to flourish. To this day, I still have best friendships that developed in elementary school. These girls became my sisters and taught me how to be a good friend. I credit these early friendships for the later friendships to come.
In the past 20 years, I am thankful for a happy, relatively drama-free, childhood and for parents who made such an environment possible. Although I have always longed for lots of brothers and sisters, I am thankful for the close relationships within my tiny family. Knowing of and being assured of my parents love is one of the best things ever. Another best thing ever is their acceptance of and love for my chosen life mate, Will. I am thankful that they generally enjoy good health and still love each other after so many years of marriage and me.
Finally, no essay on thankfulness would be complete without a nod to my God who has the power to give all and take away all. I rarely talk this candidly about my faith on this blog, but I would be inauthentic if I left out this crucial part to my thankfulness. I am thankful for the hope that I have in Christ Jesus and what he promises. Lord knows I put my hope in many other things besides God’s provision–money, academic success, relationships. And, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing–but these things often don’t work out or disappoint me. As hard as it is to think about, even if all of the other things that I have listed above were to be taken away, God promises that I will still have hope in Christ and the love of a Heavenly Father.
In sum, I have a lot for which to be thankful, many things being left out. Moses the cat, hello!
Post by Will
November 15, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Life must be understood backwards; but… it must be lived forward.
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
I believe everything has a purpose. Unfortunately, it is very difficult at times, at most times really, to really grasp that meaning until that portion of life has already been lived out (hence the quote). I find it hard to understand the big picture when life has me down. It’s easier to ignore our overarching agenda when things are going good. On the other hand, it’s easier to ask “Why?” (“¿Que?)” when we are faced with strife.
This much I know (and trust me, I know little).
So, after that awkward segue, I have been thinking more and more what I want to accomplish in the next five years. In less than five years, I will be 30. I don’t really dwell on the fact that comparatively, that is really not that far off. But, when I do ponder the implications, thirty seems like a pretty frightening proposition (not that I can do anything about it).
During casual conversation our friend Jhamirah had mentioned her Five Year Plan, a notion that is completely nonexistent in bubble of life. So, this really had myself pondering what are some high, yet achievable goals I want to accomplish in five years.
That being said, here’s five goals for five years (not necessarily one per …)
Run a Marathon
Right now this looks like the most improbable of the bunch. I am having trouble as it is getting back into somewhat 10K shape. I had the opportunity to watch Brittany and observe how much time it took her to train for the Baltimore Half Marathon. It’s really a life changing decision as you have to structure time to train.
Life is busy as it is and I don’t know if I’m going to be willing to part with whatever precious free time I already have. But as I said, I’m reaching on a few of these.
Buy a House
Maybe it’s because “House Hunters” is a preferred show around the house, but I’ve definitely obtained an interest in the process of purchasing a house. Seriously though, I haven’t been completely influenced to make such a purchase due to a television show. Renting has its advantages but I am ready to get my own place somewhat soon. I know, since the basic plan is that we’re going to mobilize wherever Brittany gets a job, that this is going to have to wait a few years. Mortgages are something I can wait on.
Have a Child
I’m not sure how much I want to say about this. Rest assured, there has been a lot of conversation about this and there is nothing on the immediate horizon. I want to enjoy my young life with just my wife but eventually, I want to still have some young years left to enjoy raising a kid. Unfortunately, I can tell my body is starting to go (something’s wrong when you pull your lower back and hamstring playing flag football).
Family is definitely important to both of us. As is, having our own family. Right now it’s just us and the cat, which has been good practice (ever put a diaper on a cat … me neither).
Do My Own Thing
Professionally, I think there are a handful of goals to have, especially in my field. My goal is to one day be able to run my own freelance business full-time. Not to say that is going to happen as I believe there are other positive solutions out there (one being where I am now). I really have no desire to start my own studio but I would like to expand and refine my skills in various disciplines.
I think I have seen enough sides of the business to know what I think I want. So, full-time freelance doesn’t have to be the end game. I think a lot of options out there appeal to me. But, working full-time at the local coffee shoppe sounds like a pretty good gig to me.
Travel … A Lot
Getting old does not make things any easier, including travel (see point #3). There are a lot of places in the U.S. (Portland), much less the globe (Italy, Greece, Holland), I would like to visit. Not to mention, places I want to re-visit (hello, Chicago + San Francisco). I’m still waiting for more of our friends to move to more interesting places (thanks, Trice) as not only is there a chance there might be free room and board, but locals are always the best tour guides.
