The Sound of a New Start

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2012

I wasn't really ready for 2012 to end. 2013 kind of snuck up on me. I woke up and BAM. It was a new year! I looked back on the last year and all the things that happened, all the memories I made, and I realized how great 2012 was. 2012 turned out to be a roller coaster full of surprises.

Kiss with a mouth of shooting stars, all the lost and the broken parts, unafraid, you will name your scars with the touch of a new heart.

I learned something in 2012.

I learned to be happy.

Amidst heartbreak, adversity, drama, stress, uncertainty, anger and sadness.

It's the sound of a new start.

I met a guy that I really, really, really liked. I was stunned by how well we hit it off and how quickly things moved. "So this is what that feels like," I thought. And then, before I knew it, things fell apart. It was slow, it was agonizing, and I tried so, so hard to change things. But still, things fell apart.

And yet, I was happy. 

For my final news writing project, I interviewed three student-athlete couples at BYU. It was a pain in the butt arranging interviews with all of them, since many of them were in-season and busy with school and sports. I accidentally deleted one of the interviews. It was close to 30 minutes long and full of quotes and information. I was embarrassed, frustrated and a bit panicked.

And yet, I was happy.

Three of my very best friends got married this year. It was so great seeing them find "the one" and open a new chapter of their lives. And yet, I was a bit jealous. While all of their weddings were joyous occasions, it was hard knowing that our friendships would never be quite the same. It was hard seeing them move on and I was still just single ol' me.

And yet, I was happy.

During my internship this summer, my sports editor went on vacation. He left a list of events I needed to cover that weekend: baseball games, polo matches, a strong-man competition. Results, articles and pictures were needed for each. I knew little about baseball, and next to nothing about polo and strong-man. It was a long, busy, stressful weekend.

And yet, I was happy.

One of my closest friends stopped talking to me. I called, I texted, I left voicemail after voicemail. And there was never any response. After two and a half years of being friends, he just ignored me. The frustration wore on me. I couldn't understand how someone could just throw away a friendship for no reason. 

And yet, I was happy.

New start, in the air there is a new heart. Under there, beneath these new arms, everywhere it is a new, new, new, new start.

Things went wrong in 2012. My heart was broken in 2012. I had hard times in 2012. And yet, I was happy.

I went to Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore and Devil's Tower for the first time. I wrote hundreds of articles. I got straight A's. I met incredible people. I got a precious new nephew. I developed a closer relationship with my little sister. I was named an All-American men's volleyball reporter. I played Nerf wars with my friends. I bought way too many pairs of cowboy boots. I completed my first internship. I made my third stained glass window. I threw some really awesome parties. I bought a Christmas tree for $13. I ran over 100 miles. 

I tried new things. I threw caution to the wind. I worked my butt off. I stayed up way too late.

I learned to be happy.

And if you haven't done it yet, take 2013 to learn to be happy. Use 2013 to realize how many beautiful, wonderful things surround you. Times will be hard, things will get tough and people will disappoint you. But you will also laugh until your stomach hurts. You will fall in love with new songs, movies and books. You will learn new things. And above all, you will be happy. Because you should be. Because you deserve to be. 

Now is the start.

See you in 2014?