Community.
Without a question 2010 was about community. 6 months after moving to the bay area I found myself in a group of amazing people, full of fun and depth. We had, arguably, too much fun. (Grandpa might have mentioned something about burning the candle from both ends, or something, I don’t recall) We went out a lot, and had dance parties. It was not uncommon for me to go to work Friday on 5 hours of sleep. We dressed up to do the stanky leg, we went skiing in Tahoe. Fundamentally, however, we were friends founded in our common faith. We talked a lot about God, faith, and what it meant to live a life emulating Christ. It was exactly what my heart needed. I felt anchored in something beautiful.
What I didn’t realize was that it was a preparation for the hard summer that was coming. When my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in July, it felt like I was thrown into a deep end of the pool. My lungs felt tight all the time and I was struggling to keep my head above water. I can’t imagine where I would have ended up if I hadn’t firmly tethered myself to a community that had no problem jumping in with me.

Community didn’t stop there. 2009 will always be the year that I made my internet community tangible. Friendships grew deeper (Hi
Nora) to the point that my Grams knows a lot of your names. Between gchat, twitter DMs, phone calls, and text messages: this blogging community knows me just as well as my IRL friends. (Except the fact that I laugh more that you can imagine. You can ask
Ashley and
Nico. I giggle, a lot.) August was for VEDA, and vlogging every day was so much fun, but it was amazing because of the
COMMUNITY that was created. We were at our best when we were being honest and vulnerable, we rallied for each other. I met bloggers for the first time in real life.. and learned that people I love in the blogosphere I will love
infinitely more in person. This scientific fact is what prompted #SFNYE. I have SIX of my closest blog friends flying here in 29 days, to hang out with me. That is insane. For four days I am going to tackle hug each and every one of these people repeatedly.
I am surrounded by love and friendship in a way that boggles my mind. It is the proof that I am doing something right.
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2011 will be about Love.
I’ve said it hear before, but my grandpa told me once that every emotion comes from one of two places; love or fear. It’s easy to slip into fear mode: fear breeds anxiety, anger, and insecurity. Actively choosing love, however, leaves no room for fear. It is impossible to feel fear and love at the same time. Love is the light in the darkness. It reaches every single dark spot we carry with us, if we choose to let it. So that’s what I am doing in 2011. I am choosing love.