The year is coming to an end. Again. The earth has completed its 365 day cycle and it is time to say goodbye to 2024.
Good riddance.
January
The beginning of the year always brings with it some kind of relief. You can reset your life once the clock strikes midnight and everything will be okay again. You get a second chance. But you blew it again this year because your new year resolutions only lasted 20 days. This year, one of my resolutions was to take more pictures…of myself…and actually share them once in a while. Guess how well that went?
August
Somewhere along the middle of the year, I found a song that helped me get back on track. Gave me permission to say, “yes, I’ll try some” to life and I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the year in no small measure because of it. The song is called ‘Where’d All The Time Go?’ by Dr. Dog (weird name I know). The line that really hit me is in the second verse;
There’s nothing to keep you, from falling in love
it starts from the bottom, and comes from above
I then decided that there was really nothing keeping me from sucking out of life’s marrow, except myself. Out of all the forces which may work against you, the strongest force against yourself is you. Fighting myself and my nature was an extremely difficult task but I think I’m winning.
October
A fashion show. A freaking fashion show. Don’t get me wrong, I love fashion. I love clothes, I love the dazzling, show stopping looks, I love the glamour, the lifestyle. BUT I don’t love them when they’re centered on me. At least I thought I didn’t. 2024 really taught me a lot about myself. A lesson which I was shocked to learn was that I can actually let go, I can be carefree and absolutely no one would die if I did. Crazy huh?
November
Tell me your chosen life path is dealing with you without telling me your chosen life path is dealing with you. I’ll go first. Traction alopecia. I used to have edges, now I don’t. I blame the national healthcare system I’ve found myself in and it’s insane selection of rules. Thankfully, asides from discovering that braids are in fact NOT a protective style for your edges, I have also learned that the clinical setting is not my field. Education is more my route and I will delve in head first. My heart broke many times in November. I’ll never forget it.
December
‘It’s over’ I say, with an optimistic smile and chagrin. ‘It’s over. 2024 can’t hurt me anymore.’ Lol, dream on. I got fired this month, well, technically, I got a little bit let go but same difference. I saw it coming months earlier. One of the advantages of being an overthinker is that the worst scenario has been played in your head enough for you to be ready to adjust to it and so when it actually happens you’re like ‘Oh okay.’ Bad news is that even though you saw it coming you couldn’t do anything to stop it. But hey, everything that begins must definitely end.
vote of thanks ;)
2024 has been a year of growth and one strong influence in this has been God. I don’t know how I would’ve survived this year without Him. The blender mix of emotions, the lashes of surprises could not have been handled without Him by my side. Leaving 2024, my watchword is help.
Psalm 121:1; I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Special shoutout goes to the people of God who were instrumental in the deepening of my relationship with the Lord. I’ve read more of the bible this year than I ever have in my 22 years of living and it is thanks in so small part to the community of Christians that I was strategically placed in. I could not ask for a better family than the one I found in them.
you’re welcome
Thanks for reading this far! For you, here’s a list of playlists I have had on rotation this year. Scroll through and check them out, maybe you’ll find the next soundtrack for your life.
for the Christian jazz enthusiast
for the lovesick introvert
for a good spiritual cleanse
for a good indie dance moment
for the Christian hitting the gym/needing audio-centric motivation to MOVE!
for immaculate vibes
for an intense education in indie music
for the lost/overwhelmed/confused lamb
for the authentic jazz fiend
For my number one artist on Spotify for the second year in a row, Hozier is a multifaceted artist that can very easily take you to every musical extreme. In Gaelic or English, doesn’t matter. This is my Hozier playlist. Join the colony. Better your musical palate today. Have a great new year <3.
