I have been so blessed this past year with great (new) friends, an amazing family, and just an overall privileged life. I may be young, but this has really been the best year of my life.
I started off 2009 a little heartbroken - I had lost my best friend of a year and didn't know what to do. But show choir actually came to my rescue, and I met my new best friends. I reconnected with past friends and I now have lots of friends, and a group of close, best friends. I love them all so much.
As the spring continued on, I was looking towards the future. I wanted to see life outside my little bubble of my hometown, and remembered the good days that I used to do film in middle school, so I went to summer camp for six weeks for film production.
My life was literally changed at that camp. I cannot say it enough - I learned so much there. Not just about film. Not just about relationships and other people. About myself. What I'm capable of. I learned about life. And all of a sudden, I grew. I matured. I was no longer that awkward (okay I still have my moments) girl from Maryland, I was learning so much.
I made such amazing friends there. I met so many people that have touched me and affected me in ways they don't even know.
I loved it so much that I applied to boarding school there. I got in but was not able to go because of financial issues...
I was heartbroken, but I had to go on a trip with my home school to Scotland to perform our show at the theatre festival there. I was sulky at the beginning, but remembered that I was different now. Yes, I had seen outside the bubble of my home, and I should not dwell on unhappiness. Besides, why should I be sulking? I was going to freaking Scotland!
So I embraced it and had an amazing time! I befriended even more people and expanded my circle. I didn't to go on complaining. I was ready to really embrace good things in my life - good people, fun people. That's something I learned at camp.
So I came home with a new attitude. I had such an amazing summer and was ready to jump into the new school year with my new and improved self.
I was more confident. I wore what I wanted and didn't care about others' judgments (not that there were any, really). I seized every opportunity and didn't back down from a challenge or shy away from anything.
I started a club at school for a charity and I feel good about giving back to rest of the world that may not be as privileged as I.
I even made dance captain of my show choir. I am in no way a dancer, and if you had asked my choir director last year, he would have made fun of my dancing (okay, maybe not to my face... but he was not a fan). However, I went into rehearsals with such confidence and a fun-loving attitude, that I didn't care if people were judging me on my dancing. I would try my best. And it worked, because I improved.
Then on to the play where I got a cameo role that I loved and I continued to make new friends.
I stood up for what I believed in and got my 15 minutes of fame that November because of it. It was a proud moment.
Which takes us to December and my 17th birthday, in which my best friends threw me an elaborate scavenger hunt around my town that led to a surprise birthday party. That is when I really realized how much they loved me, and how much I loved them in return. How blessed I am that they are in my life. They even made donations to my favorite charity in honor of me!
This has been such a whirlwind year! And I can honestly say that I love my life, and I have loved this year!
I'm not disappointed that the year is coming to end. This doesn't mark an end to a good year, but the beginning of an even better year. It's possible. I'll use what I learned this year and embrace the one coming up. I'm 17 and I'm ready to embrace the world and the year!
Happy new year everyone!
