A New Year - Purposeful Reflection

A 'year' is a measure bounded by time, defined by calendars, and followed by billions. We use it to measure life cycles, births and deaths. We use it to remember and record historical events and natural disasters. We use past years to reflect on where we came from and future years to plan where we are going. With each passing year, I find myself in different countries, attempting to speak different languages and negotiating different cultures. So as another year comes to pass, I too reflect on what I've accomplished and the places I've been.

A year ago, I found myself ringing in the New Year with my parents, aunts and friends on Mt. Hood--snowboarding, watching movies, cooking and eating delicious food and playing games. This year I'll be ringing in the New Year with my family on a beach on the Bay of Bengal in South India--swimming in the pool, lounging in a hammock, dipping my fingers into a spicy curry and packing my bags because just hours after the clock strikes midnight, I'll be on a plane bound for London.

In the last year I've completed a year of my MA studies, finished a 3 year term in Japan and said good-bye to many friends there. I've traveled through Russia, Mongolia, China, Tibet, Nepal and India. I've traveled by trains, ferries, buses, planes and jeeps, sometimes for days at a time. I've swam in Lake Baikal in Siberia, puked Peking Duck in Beijing, argued with a Chinese imposter monk at Ganden Monastery in Tibet, climbed to 18,000ft in the Annapurnas of Nepal, made friends with Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala, visited old friends and family in Madurai, planted research seeds in Chennai and soaked up the sun at Ideal Beach (again). Looking back on the year--time seemingly passed quickly from one event and location to the next. But a review of the year reminds me about how much can be accomplished, seen and experienced in a year. Not to mention how many new friends can be made, how many different foods can be tried and how many different cities can be visited! I'm thankful for the last year and the adventures and experiences I've been fortunate to have. A year is a long time and should not be wasted or taken for granted! And perhaps doesn't need to be marked as such because time continues, life continues regardless of the date on the calendar.

I don't know what the next year will bring for me or my family, but I foresee more great adventures and therefore endless learning experiences! By visiting new places, meeting new people and challenging my own beliefs and values I feel real growth and learning takes place!

However, if a 'year' marks a time or phase in one's life, I'm not sure how relevant it is to me. People often ask me "When will you settle down?" or "When will you come back to the US?" But my life isn't marked by phases of international travel--my life incorporates travel, different cultures, meeting new people and exploring new places! The 'New Year' holiday does allow us all time for reflection and marks a change in the date...I'll be marking that date change by leaving one continent and arriving in another. However, ultimately our lives continue, the pause for reflection is but a brief moment...the adventure keeps going.

May your New Year holiday be both a time of reflection as well as a purposeful movement towards accomplishing and living out your life goals!