New decade

It's approaching 2010 and I'm about ready to get into a warm bed. It's -27 degrees outside and having been out all day my tired eyes aren't interested in staying open long enough to bring in the new year. I feel sorry for my drunken friends who, in a few hours, are going to be freezing their asses off trying to get home in a city notoriusly known for having a taxi shortage and poor public transportation. Here's hoping I don't get a wake up call with incoherent ramblings about needing a ride around 3:00 am.

Throughout the day I have reflected on the past decade. For me, the last ten years can be summarized by one word, survival. I survived a severe three year depression. I survived seven jobs. I survived being laid off from my job during the dot com crash which changed many people's career paths. I survived an internal struggle between the lure of corporate prestige and my personal value system (fortunately the latter won). I survived the disintegration of a very valued friendship. I survived lone travels. I survived the painful first steps of spiritual self discovery and facing my own faults. I survived three broken bones and 37 hours without pain medication. I survived a concusion during my 30 birthday celebration. I survived solitude. I survived celibacy. I survived winters.

It's been an amazing ride and I have no regrets. As midnight approaches I'm thinking about my wonderful family and friends who have been with me unconditionaly. And regardless of what the next ten years brings I am still very aware of how blessed I've been in my life, never worrying about the basics like shelter, food, and heath care. And on the last day of 2009, I laughed and played with my nephews and cuddled with my cat, it doesn't get more perfect than that.

Happy new year!