2009... PEACE

What a great way to end the year. As has been the tradition for almost a decade, my family spent Christmas together at my grandparent's house in Provo. There's something so special about coming back here each year, reminiscing about my days at BYU, bumping into old friends and acquaintances almost everywhere I go, and most importantly spending time with those I love the most. Right when I got off the plane 10 days ago, I had a feeling of complete contentment come over me, complete satisfaction and peace about my life, and those feelings have only gotten stronger as I've spent time with loved ones and reflected on the last year.

When I pause to think about it, it's truly amazing to me how my life unfolds. Normally I'm not the type of person to spend much time looking back and thinking about how I've arrived where I'm at, but nice round numbers like 01/01/10 for whatever reason tend to put me in more of a reflective frame of mind. The littlest things in my life really have made all the difference. For example:

- Deciding to walk 2 miles home after football practice every day in 7th grade because I was too impatient to wait for my mom to come pick me up. After weeks of doing this with JT, I gained a lifelong friend who has influenced for good so many aspects of my life.

- Leaving high school a year early to attend BYU despite my sometimes almost overwhelming fears of failure and self doubt. If I hadn't done this, I wouldn't have met so many other people who have influenced me in positive ways. I wouldn't have graduated in 2008, just months before the worst economic recession of my lifetime, and I may not have found the job opportunity I did.

- Signing up for an interview with Deloitte where I faced my current roommate Matt, someone who has made all the difference in my life as I've transitioned to living far from family, working full time, and adjusting to life in San Francisco.

These are just a few examples of things that have been on my mind lately. It's amazing to me how God knows me personally. He knows my weaknesses, my strengths, my desires, my hopes and my dreams. As I've made an effort to live His commandments and follow the teachings of His prophets, I've seen and felt His guiding power in my life. When I've reached out to Him through prayer, He has always responded and blessed me in seen and unseen ways.

My mind this week has bounced back and forth between thinking about the past and trying to foresee my future. What do I want out of my life? What do I need to improve on? Where do I want to be a year from now? 10 years from now? How can I influence people for good? How can I share the blessings I've been given with others around me? What bad habits can I leave behind and what new good habits can take their place?

I don't know if there are easy answers to some of these questions, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be asked. I think my theme for the new year is going to be one simple word: Live. Live in the moment, be curious about things and people and places. Read, explore, go on adventures, say YES when my sometimes annoying logical mind is screaming NO. Uplift people, fight back the urge to be critical, serve and love. After 26 years, I can look back, see how far I've come, and allow myself to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. After 26 years, I can look forward, see how far I have to go, and put my trust in the Lord that He will continue to guide me as He has all my life.

2010, you're mine!