Almost famous...
I've spent a lot of time on Caterpillar Goo lately, and not so very much time over here, but I thought it was a good time, a week and a half after it ended, to think out loud about my 2017.
2015 exploded my life in more ways than one, with my wife of 20 years telling me 3 days in that she wanted a divorce. The first half of 2015 was a bomb cyclone (I don't know what that term even means; I just think it's funny how some things I've never heard of until suddenly I'm hearing them everywhere) with quitting drinking, trying to salvage a marriage that did not want to be salvaged, and jumping back into full-time employment after 8 years as a full-time stay-at-home dad. The second half was waking up from the cyclone on the shores of a beautiful tropical island and discovering there was a lot of joy still to be had in this life of mine.
2016 was discovering that while the world was full of opportunities, and all things were possible, and even though so many of those opportunities were perfect for me, some were not at all. And that's OK! It was the year I first reluctantly and nervously stumbled into the possibility of public speaking. It was the year I embraced vulnerability.
And most of all, 2016 was the year of the Little Flower. On a first date from a dating app, with few expectations and an open heart, I saw a smiling face among the cards and flowers at Whole Foods, and my life was changed again. 2016 was the year when love proved at last that it can be a joyful romp and not a difficult slog, and it's possible for the joy to be sustained and sustaining.
2017 was the year of travel: hiking among beautiful views in Big Bend in March, swimming in the shade of the cypress trees in Wimberley in June, cold weather camping and warm cave exploring at Kickapoo Cavern in October, and walking walking everywhere in New York City in November. New York was huge! And not just the city. It was the first time we traveled with kids together, and the first time we'd made our kids stay overnight together. And it was a beautiful experience!
It was the year of running, and not running. We ran Warrior Dash in March, freezing in a steady drizzle and 50 degrees, but leaping over fire together. We ran Cap10K, dressed up in matching tutus and tiaras, and ended up on a local news segment and in ads for next year's race in the Austin American-Statesman. It was the year a foot injury left me struggling to run and struggling to keep up with the exercise, gaining weight and losing strength and endurance.
I feel like each year should have a Year of ___________ title, but I'm not sure how to sum up exactly. 2015: The Year of Getting Dumped By That One Chick. 2016: The Year of Getting Dumped By That Other Chick. 2017: The Year of Love and Laughter? The Year of the Perpetually Opening Heart? The Year of Bow Chicka Bow Wow?
No, that's terrible. I can't write that. I'll edit it out before I post it.
The Year of Staying Up All Night Talking, or More Like Staying Up Until Around 1 a.m. Because That's When I Can't Keep My Eyes Open Anymore?
I don't know what 2018 will hold. I expect it will be the Year of New Parenting Challenges, as every year since 2007 has been. The Year of Keep Doing What You're Doing Because It's Working for You. The Year of Impeachment? The Year of Finally Getting Into Yoga? The Year of Vegetarianism? The Year of Getting a Passport Again? The Year of the Return of Running? All of those and more, I have no doubt.
Happy New Year!
