Thoughts on a New Year

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”
― Neil Gaiman

discovered via Jason Tatum

I stumbled on this quote on my friend Tatum's website and it sums up my hopes and dreams for 2012 perfectly. I've been thinking a lot about this new year, and the one we just closed the books on. 2011 brought some big changes with it, the biggest being my transition to a classroom teacher, and as those of you who know me personally can attest, it was all about merely surviving there for awhile. Fingernails dug in, holding on with eyes squeezed shut, say a prayer for me surviving.

I want more than that for 2012. If I had to pick one word that I want to describe my hopes for this next year, I would go with

thrive

I'm not content to merely survive anymore. Now it's time to grow vigorously, to flourish, to own this life and soak it up, to surprise myself.