A New Beginning

Today is the beginning of a new year, and I plan to make the absolute best of it. I plan to make this a year where I become a better person than I am, a person whose choses to do the right things rather than just ignore them and hope everything turns out alright. I want to be stronger, mentally, and I don't want to give into everyday struggles the way I always have done in the past.

But before one can discuss the beginning, one must look at the end, for what is life but a never-ending cycle? My dear friend's dad died a few days ago. It's a strange feeling, knowing that I just had dinner with him last week, knowing now that that was the last time I would ever see him. It's unnerving to see how quickly a light can be snuffed out, how quickly something stifled. Life goes on in its never-ending circle, and the sun rises on every morning.

But on a happier note, my best friend and one of the most amazing people I know is coming over today. I have known her for almost as long as I can remember: we have been through thick and thin together. We used to play on the playground together at recess! She was the one that introduced me to all of my now favorite movies, and we have so much fun quoting them to each other. But most of all, she is the person who has probably most influenced my life and my desire to become a better person. I don't know—no, I don't want to know what kind of person I would be without her always there by my side growing up, her words of hope, prayer, and love always in my ear. No, that's a lie—I do know the kind of person I would be without her in my life. For a while, she was. And when she was gone, I became a person who I am ashamed of. I became a person who was crude, selfish, and blind to what was going on around me. A person who looked for ways to incorporate swears into her sentences. A person who hated God and blamed him for all of her pain and fears.

So, thank you dear friend for saving me from myself. I love you so much, my unbiological sister. :)