Au Revoir 2012!

Was 2012 a good year? It was err… average. Everyone is fine and healthy, some good things happened, some bad things occurred, I’m still in one piece and Eminem is still rapping. However, I feel that 2012 is the year of realizations. Which is a good thing, I guess. But it also means that it is not particularly enjoyable, which is why I rated 2012 as average.

This year, I realized that some things are just beyond our control. Without getting too personal about it, all I’ll say is that sometimes, we try so hard to help others, but if it is to no avail, settle with the fact that we did our best, and the rest is God’s plans. It is pretty much useless to fret and be sad over it, because that doesn’t change anything.

This year, some of my friends also lost their parents and loved ones. It’s a jolt for me. I’ve been quite sheltered in my life, and although I know of death, I don’t think I ever gave it as much thought as I did this year. When a friend loses a parent, you immediately connect to the emotions – this could be due to the fact that you’re of the same age and are pretty much going through the same motions, and therefore you fit in their shoes and understand the situation better. It made me think of my priorities in life, how I spend my time and whether it is with people who matter to me.

While we’re on that subject, I’ve also noticed that I’ve become a lot pickier about friends. Don’t get me wrong, I like everyone in general and I have no intentions of becoming a social zero. But I no longer feel obligated to befriend anyone who doesn't interest me in any particular ways. I am gradually growing out of the people-pleasing phase, thank God. I don't think I could sit through another conversation on reducing tax and business shares.

There aren’t many changes this year, physically. I still live in the same apartment. I still know nothing about cars. And yes, I didn’t achieve my resolution to start reading the paper. I think it’s about time I admit that the news is too depressing for me. But I did see a lot of amazing things this year, just as I had hoped. The world is still as beautiful. I fell down the stairs twice. I discovered lots of new, good music. There's a realization that moderation is key when having fun. I finally understood what Missy Higgins said about love never being just black and white. I had some really great times with my family and friends. I met new friends who are surprisingly interesting. I got to know my colleagues better. I made bad decisions here and there. I traveled like I planned.

Alright maybe it wasn’t such an average year after all.