A New Thing

I wrote last year about some of my New Year's routines — particularly, writing down the events of the past year month by month, bullet-point style.

The past year was another stunningly full one. In retrospect, the feeling that it absolutely blew by makes sense.

I went to India, Honduras, Canada, Montana, Virginia, North Carolina, and did plenty of driving around my own home state. I finished an internship I loved in a city I never thought I would and moved to a new city to start a new job — that I've also loved. I met lots of new people, including some that I know count among my most important relationships. I did lots of new things. I lost things and found out it was okay. I grew up a lot. It was good and a little crazy and a little weird.

Normally when I make my month-by-month list, I just include the big stuff, and that's enough. In 2017, though, it wasn't.

This time, when I made my list, I realized the big stuff didn't cut it. There's been a shift for me in the past 12 months, and I think it's a good one.

The big stuff was still big, but most of the real significance was in the small.

I looked at my list after making it, and it was full of good things, but it was missing the best ones.

It was missing the stuff that gave the year real guts and soul. The everyday, and the people I got to live it with, and the God who guided it all — those were the things that I loved when I looked back on the year. That's what made it really rich. It was small.

I don't know what your list looked like this year, but whatever it holds, don't forget to include things like flag football with your second family, or playing with your best friend's baby, or going to the grocery store with your mom (who already knew all of this, anyway, which is why you call her all the time).

Let it be a reminder that small is big. I knew that, but I didn't know that. You know? After this year, I do.

I guess it should go without saying that there's nothing small about loving God and loving people, but this year, my only real goal is to do both of those things as fully as possible. Cheers to a new year and all it holds, down to the littlest details. I hope yours is the best yet.