2019 in Hindsight
I try not to think about the past more than necessary. The mind isn't great a reproducing a faithful account of experiences and emotions, but I do find value in thinking about the general themes in the past 12 months and what I am grateful for. Plus I can't really stop my mind from dissecting my actions and attitudes, anyway.
2019 was a year of:
Bearing more responsibility
I've had many chances this year to alleviate my existential angst by taking on as much burden beyond my own as I can bear. I like how the decrease in ego feels when I devote my attention to other people's lives, even for a minute. My parents are getting older and I want to be sure I can relieve their burden as much as possible.
Science & Belief
More than any other year in my life, I have poured every free second I could spare into sharpening my reasoning and critical thinking. I nurtured my love for science by reading articles, books, studies, and then sharing them with my friends. I spent the year understanding where I stand in regard to religion and leaning into atheism. I am profoundly grateful that I have the desire, tools, and privilege to use my mind in those ways. This has provided endless joy for me. I'll have to try to find a way to bring some of this over into my career.
Novelty
I had the fortunate of showing my buddy a fraction of Colombia and inadvertently reminding myself of the stark difference in lifestyles across the world. I've come to learn that I don't like traveling in itself, but rather as a means to connect with friends and family that I otherwise wouldn't see. The oddity of different scenes is a plus, but not what I can recall a year later. I do recall running in the rain late at night through the streets of NYC with my intern friends. I remember looking at the stupid amount of lights on a rooftop in the city of Medellin, or sharing the different cocktails Peru had to offer with my Mom. I remember how scared I was when a black bear that couldn't care less about David and I, blocked our trail in the Smokey Mountains. I still laugh at the obscenities Zach, Quinn, and I yelled into an echoing ravine near the peak of Mt. Rainer. I can still taste the venison tartar at Antler in Toronto. a character from a show I'm watching recently said, "people spend all this money and time creating memories they won't remember five months from now." He wasn't completely wrong, but bonds built throughout those moments never go away.
Dating and romance
My goal in this department is to find more resolve and understanding. I think about it more than I like to, but I guess this is common. I hope my attempt to understand my own emotions and those of other people will make the process more digestible. Out of all my reading, conversations, and experience, I can say that I am feel empathy for myself and others. It has confounded people since the beginning of time.
I am grateful for a year without any shit going south. I appreciate times of peace and when things go generally my way. Cheers to more growth.
2019 was a year of:
Bearing more responsibility
I've had many chances this year to alleviate my existential angst by taking on as much burden beyond my own as I can bear. I like how the decrease in ego feels when I devote my attention to other people's lives, even for a minute. My parents are getting older and I want to be sure I can relieve their burden as much as possible.
Science & Belief
More than any other year in my life, I have poured every free second I could spare into sharpening my reasoning and critical thinking. I nurtured my love for science by reading articles, books, studies, and then sharing them with my friends. I spent the year understanding where I stand in regard to religion and leaning into atheism. I am profoundly grateful that I have the desire, tools, and privilege to use my mind in those ways. This has provided endless joy for me. I'll have to try to find a way to bring some of this over into my career.
Novelty
I had the fortunate of showing my buddy a fraction of Colombia and inadvertently reminding myself of the stark difference in lifestyles across the world. I've come to learn that I don't like traveling in itself, but rather as a means to connect with friends and family that I otherwise wouldn't see. The oddity of different scenes is a plus, but not what I can recall a year later. I do recall running in the rain late at night through the streets of NYC with my intern friends. I remember looking at the stupid amount of lights on a rooftop in the city of Medellin, or sharing the different cocktails Peru had to offer with my Mom. I remember how scared I was when a black bear that couldn't care less about David and I, blocked our trail in the Smokey Mountains. I still laugh at the obscenities Zach, Quinn, and I yelled into an echoing ravine near the peak of Mt. Rainer. I can still taste the venison tartar at Antler in Toronto. a character from a show I'm watching recently said, "people spend all this money and time creating memories they won't remember five months from now." He wasn't completely wrong, but bonds built throughout those moments never go away.
Dating and romance
My goal in this department is to find more resolve and understanding. I think about it more than I like to, but I guess this is common. I hope my attempt to understand my own emotions and those of other people will make the process more digestible. Out of all my reading, conversations, and experience, I can say that I am feel empathy for myself and others. It has confounded people since the beginning of time.
I am grateful for a year without any shit going south. I appreciate times of peace and when things go generally my way. Cheers to more growth.
Comments
Post a Comment