One thing I like about social media is the ability to look back on posts and pictures from years ago. I’ve found a few recently that have put things into perspective for me: a photo of my empty apartment six and a half years ago, the day before I moved in; a photo of the 1988 Dodge Caravan that my family had and I drove for several years in high school and college; photos of trips to Washington, D.C., San Diego, Scranton, Spain, Wisconsin, and more; and photos with many of my old Young Life kids who are now adults, married, and have their own kids.
Today is the last day of 2019. It hadn’t even occurred to me until recently that it’s also the end of a decade. I realize that days, months, and years are just arbitrary time stamps that we have created, but they help us to bookend different stages of our lives and to categorize an otherwise endless stretch of time. I remember the hype of Y2K twenty years ago and then the realization that it was just like any other New Year. Even so, I think it’s important to reflect on our past and be grateful for our experiences. The end of a decade seems like a good time to do just that.
Normally, on New Years Eve, I think about what I’ve done over the past year. For me, this year has been exciting. I’ve traveled to new places including Belize and Hawaii, I’ve seen the Grand Canyon and several other National Parks, I went rafting on the Oregon coast, I’m hosting my exchange student, Ramon, and my nephew Gabriel (who I will get to meet in March) was born. However, when I look back on the past decade, it is astounding to think about how much has changed.
Ten years ago, I had not even met most of the people who I have spent the most time with over the past several years. I had just moved out of my apartment (next door to where I live now) and would live in three other places before coming back to where I am now. I had not starting working as a school counselor yet and, in fact, I was only half way through graduate school (for the first time). I had not started volunteering at the zoo yet. Only one of my three nephews and nieces was born (and he was less than a year old). I wouldn’t be diagnosed with Crohn’s disease for another three years. I didn’t have my cat Simon yet. My hairline hadn’t started receding. I was only six years into my 16 years as a Young Life leader. I was still using an iPod for music and an LG Voyager with a keyboard as my phone. Instagram and Snapchat didn’t exist yet and Barack Obama was less than a year into his presidency.
I couldn’t predict ten years ago where I would be today and I have no idea what the world will look like in another ten years. It’s hard to imagine what new inventions there will be or what version of the iPhone will be out. I don’t know if I’ll be working at the same place or doing something completely different. I know that there will be some great times and some hard times over the next decade and that creates a variety of emotions for me. If I had the choice to see ten years into the future, I don’t think that I would. But it’s nice to look back and see all that can happen in ten years – the good and the bad. It helps me to remember two things. 1) If times are good, cherish it. Change happens quickly. 2) If times are hard, be patient. Change happens quickly.
What has changed for you in the past ten years? What are you looking forward to in the next decade?
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