2018
2019 IS HERE
Let’s just take a second to pause and be thankful for being here; wherever that may be. As I rifled through pictures, and journals to decide what defined 2018 for me, I was overwhelmed with deep gratitude. Gratitude for all sorts of things; the doors that opened and closed, the places I saw, the people I got to know, the quiet moments I relished. I could very easily fill a post of the things for which I am thankful.
2019 carries a lot of uncertainties. By March I will know where the Coast Guard is sending me for my first tour, and by June I will be stationed somewhere doing the job I have spent the last five years training to do. I am so excited to take that challenge.
What do I hope to remember of 2018?
+ Spring break with Zach in Colorado, and Utah. I crashed down Purgatory Mountain for two days.
+ Receiving the 2018 USCG Capt. Niels Thompson Cultural Innovation Award from the Commandant.
+ The Santa Barbara Channel Islands are beautiful. Someday, I’m going back on a boat to explore.
+ Thunder-snow in the Sierras with Alex. That was a visceral moment.
+ Walking through the Santa Barbara fire and mudslide zone. The power of that place was awe-inspiring.
+ Wonderland Trail with Mom. ~93 miles of laughs, burps, charging bears, dust, rain, new friends, and really big love.
+ Spending my last parents weekend with Pops, Genevieve, Alex, and Avery.
+ Crushing out the 30-mile Pemi loop with Evan and Ryan in a day. We limped for days after.
+ Hurricanes Florence and Michael. Taking calls in class from CGHQ, and representing Humanity Road to the Coast Guard and FEMA was wildly interesting.
+ Being in command of a CGA company. I had never come close to being trusted with the happiness and success of 130 people. I lost hair.
+ Taking Jess and Genevieve on a cross-country road trip for Christmas.
Lessons I learned:
+ How simple it is to make a difference. Flash a smile towards a person, say hello, and just watch. Too often that moment of recognizing another being is taken for granted.
+ I need to be more cognizant of letting self-interests suffer in the hope of helping others.
Goals for 2019:
+ Graduate.
+ Take better care of me.
Tonight, I hope you are as excited for the year to come as I am. By all counts, it is going to be a good one filled with adventures and more of what being a human is all about.
