I’m not going to blither and blather on about the woes of 2020. You get it, I get it, we all get it. What I am going to do is proclaim the greatest gifts of what seemed a dark, dark year.
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I’m grateful for the gift of consistent work throughout each month, even if I worked long, grueling hours. I wouldn’t trade it for all the silence in the world.
And yet I am grateful for the long hours of silence, even if they frustrated the heck out of me because it forced me to spend time with myself. But I wouldn’t trade the silence for all the travels in the world.
And yet I am grateful for the moments I traveled this year. Mount Rainier with a more-than friend; spectacular, precious moments. Across the US skies reveling in the beauty of the world, and treasuring time and conversation with dear friends. Zooms with encouraging, determined writer friends to keep conference connection and spirits alive. And little spurts here and there whenever restaurants were actually open. I wouldn’t trade all that for the gift of simply being.
And yet (catching a theme yet?) each of these 2020 gifts helped me see the greatest gift of all. Me. Me and who I really am, who I really am in Christ.
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If 2020 taught me anything, it’s that I need to give myself grace to simply be. I need to give myself grace to be free to lean, free to feel, free to roam, free to confess what I’ve been desperately afraid of for far too long. I am me. And I can simply. Just. Be.
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This newness still feels awkward. It still feels raw. It still feels strange. I know I’m gonna mess up at times and revert back to the old broken me I fought and cried so hard to mend through and with my Father-God friend. Ah, and I’m learning that this is the depths of grace.
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As I become better friends with a wholer honest me, I can taste the freedom. It’s there. It’s here. It’s glorious. It’s sacred. It’s peaceful. It’s love. And 2021 is looking mighty fine, and I am ever so grateful.
What is your 2020 takeaway? Let me know in the comments!