A Year in Review
As I
realize how close to the New Year it is, a few things hit me – it has been four
years since I was in India, about three since Europe tour, and two since
graduating from undergrad. I guess the fact that I keep thinking of these
things is partially due to my favorite time-sucker, Facebook.
[I would like
to preface the next blip by saying, I have nothing against Facebook. In fact, I
love using it to keep in touch with friends, share little things here and there
with said friends, and having a place to post what pops up in my head (only the
appropriate!) is pretty convenient.]
Facebook keeps throwing up “my year in review”, but I
do not think Facebook should be the one reviewing my year. It has come to my
attention that there has been a bit of controversy over their new app that
summarizes an individual’s year. After reading the article about the grief Facebook’s
“A Year in Review: It’s Been Great” caused Mr. Eric Meyer’s* it is apparent to
me that Facebook had a difficult time looking at the broad picture when they
came up with this new concept. Yes, many people post things that are meaningful
to them, but also quite a bit of nonsense is put up on a Facebook wall. Not to
mention that a lot can happen in a year, just as easily as nothing at all can
happen in a year. While the concept of a year in review is pretty cool, maybe
thinking about other ways to advertise the option of viewing one’s year or just
thinking about the majority of the users rather than the minority would be a
more considerate approach.
[Side note:
Most of what I post on Facebook is going to be something I’m really excited
about OR it will be something inconsequential].
For me
personally, when I previewed my year in review almost all that was put in the “presentation”
was actually irrelevant to this year (lots old pictures were used!) Then when
it came to the more current photos and statuses, oh my! Half of the people in
photos I am no longer friends with/they are not people I consider significant
in my life (I don’t mean that maliciously).
Like I
said, the concept is cool, and if we lived in a perfect world this new app
would save people a lot of time and work summarizing their year. It’s just too
bad the developer(s) of the app didn’t take into account the human-factor.
My own year in review:
Holy moly!
I am halfway through my second year of Graduate school; it’s already internship
time! I can remember entering the program and being so intimidated by the
thought of interning. Now I am so ready, if I’m honest mostly because that
means I am almost finished with my program. I have about two weeks until I
start the scariest and most exciting part of my Graduate career so far (because
I am not even going to go near my thesis semester, or my board certification
exam…all of which follow the internship). When I think about where I was just
four years ago (INDIA!) it’s easy for me to feel like I haven’t accomplished
all that I wanted – as in, I’m not traveling the world, I’m not a “missionary”,
etc, etc, etc. BUT between me, myself,
and my family, I am reminded that the steps I am taking are just further
preparation for my larger goals. Small goals; large goals. What is (more)
easily attainable, and what is will require more steps? Keep my large goal(s)
in the back of my mind, accomplish each small goal, and I am one step closer to
the larger goal(s). If I look at the larger picture too much it is way too easy
to get overwhelmed or discouraged. I love the saying about not taking off more
than you can chew, and then I like to combine it with “can’t see the forest
through the trees”. It helps to keep things in perspective.
Another
thing I have come to realize is how small and finite I am, and how big and
infinite God is. Let me tell you, watching the bank account dwindle away,
losing a job that I thought would extend past the summer, and having no control
when people let me down in pretty significant ways…well if that didn’t show me
I’m not in control, I don’t know what else will. It is so easy to say “I trust
God” or “I have faith”, but shoot, walking the talk and talking the talk are
two different things. How I handle(ed) things when the rubber hit the road,
well let’s just say I have had to look in the mirror a few times and assess
just how much I really have trusted God with the big and the small things in my
life. The funny (or maybe not so funny thing) is, when I talk with my close friends,
most of them are going through similar circumstances. We walk in faith, blindly
following the Lord’s directions, and then BOOM-BAM-POW! One friend is dealing
with losing a job sooner than expected and not hearing back from places applied
to, another is dealing with financial strains and co-worker problems, two have major
life decisions coming up that will significantly impact both their current and
their future careers…
I guess my
big takeaway for the year is: (pardon my French) Shit happens. It is up to me
(and my friends) how we handle it. All I can do is keep my eyes on the
Shepherd, while my feet continue moving.
To quote a
wise fish, “Just keep swimming…” - Dory, Finding
Nemo
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