It's just the beginning.

2011. It's here. Long-awaited, and it came too quickly. 2010 was a year packed full of everything life could bring. The good and the bad, this past year was emotional, stressful, beautiful, full of change, and realization of many things. It seems like as I grow up, each year passes more quickly. Time seems to fly by me and sometimes I feel as if I blink, I will miss it. Whatever "it" is. 2010 brought a lot my way and at times I felt as if life handed me too much.

In the past year I've learned that people are just people. They let you down, change their minds, grow up, grow apart, disappoint and hurt you. People are just that, people. Imperfect, human, incapable of perfection. I've learned to not hold people to a standard that they are unable to reach. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have faith in people, but simply that to not expect everything all the time. I've realized that God is the only one that without fail, will never disappoint you, let you down, or leave you for anything. He will never change, He will never stop loving you.

On a more positive note, I've also grown closer to some people. Some friendships have become stronger, some relationships solidified. I've learned that it's okay to open up to people, to let them in a little. For the longest time, I was so afraid to let people in for fear of being hurt. When you let a person really know you, you are vulnerable; and that scared me. However, there have been a few people that do truly know me, and I think that has made all the difference. Those few relationships have made me a stronger person, have helped me grow up, and move past all the crap that sometimes comes. I've learned that although people may hurt you, that is not all they are capable of. They encourage you, love you, hold your hand when you need it, and can help you get through some of the hardest times. I'm so thankful that God has put the people in my life that He did. Though it has not been without a few falls, my life has become fuller through it all.

So now for the future. 2011 holds so much for me, I'm sure. Good, bad, lovely, and so much more. This year, I want to begin to figure out who I really am supposed to be. What God has for my life is sure to be radical and better than anything I could hope for. This year is just the beginning. My life is just getting started. Things are going to change, I can feel it. I can't wait to experience this life with all that it has to offer. I know it won't all be easy, because my life never is, but in the end, it will be so worth it. This year will go by faster than the one before and I intend to suck every moment out of it that I can. For now, enjoy the newness of the year, because it's just the beginning.