This is the kind of thing that chokes me up at this time of the year. One of the most powerful aspects of celebrating the year-end holidays, to me, is the reflective aspect of looking back over the past year and taking stock of the journey. When John Lennon asks, "So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over, and a new one just begun," it sends me to pieces
every time (hell, I'm tearing up just typing that).
Anyway, to engage in this reflection this for a full ten years, especially a decade that's been as eventful as this one has been for me, is gonna elicit a lot of thought and feelings, so thanks to fuse for starting this one.
In this decade, I:
- celebrated a Duke national title on the same day that Jason Heyward hit a home run in his first Major League at-bat for the Braves
- celebrated my brother's marriage
- finally advocated for myself and left graduate school to pursue a proper career
- met my wife and rather immediately knew I wanted to spend my life with her
- began an incredibly rewarding professional life which has afforded me numerous opportunities to impact my students and colleagues
- crossed off 19 new states
- visited 12 new countries
- got married
- welcomed my niece and nephew into the world
- said goodbye to my father in law and three grandparents
- celebrated another Duke championship and reflected on the power and importance of friendships that continue to sustained and encouraged by the chances we have to watch our team play
- landed my dream job, which I intend to keep until retirement (a long time from now)
- got in on Atlanta United at the very beginning and celebrated the winning of three cups as a Founding Member of the club
- grew a great deal as a husband, teacher, and person through an intentional process of self-improvement
Gosh, there's more, but suffice it to say that decade has been incredibly good to me.
Now if y'all will excuse me, it's getting awfully dusty in here.