‘23 things I’ve learned
At the conclusion of each calendar year, I like to share what wisdom I've gained over the last twelve months—some arbitrary trivia facts, lessons learned along the way—some of which, of course, enduring by way of embarrassment. Please enjoy.
My hope is that, in reading this short list of mine, you might be inspired to recollect what you yourself have learned this past year and express even a small bit of gratitude for all the ways you’ve grown.
Things I learned in 2023:
1. I love to drive because when I drive, I can hear my heart think.
2. Yams and sweet potatoes are technically not the same thing.
3. “The easiest thing to do is throw a rock. It's a lot harder to create a stained glass window. I used to get upset at the people who threw rocks but now I'd rather spend my time building the stained glass windows.” (Jon Foreman)
4. There are technically two Arlingtons in Virginia. And there are two towns named Westerly in America.
5. Silence has a way of making sadness loud.
6. Precordial catch syndrome is a thing and it’s painful and it is possible to get as an adult.
7. Compassion is more creative than contempt. (Pádraig Ó Tuama, Poetry Unbound)
8. Emissions are not the same thing as a state inspection.
9. “My improvement does not cause God to love me but is the effect of God’s having loved me.” (Fr. Bede Jarrett)
10. Fun is not just a result of human thriving, it’s the cause. And travel is not so much about movement, as much as it is about being moved. (Catherine Price, Stay Resolved)
11. I’d way rather walk with God then run on my own.
12. Discernment is everything: Just because it’s doable doesn’t mean it should be done. Just because there’s a space doesn’t mean it needs to be filled. And just because something’s available doesn’t mean it should be available to you.
13. My top five Clifton Strengths are Empathy, Developer, Strategic, Discipline, and Positivity.
14. 180 days is what is necessary to detox from backlit screens.
15. The only measurement of success I should make for myself is how much grace I’m asking for and relying on.
16. ZIP Codes stands for Zoning Improvement Plan. (1960s)
17. The law of inertia resonates more and more with me the older I get: my body in motion is more likely to stay in motion. And if it’s at rest, it’s likely to stay resting.
18. Inconveniences are just a reminder of how convenient we have it.
19. June is not exactly the ideal month to launch most anything.
20. The place you suffer, in other words, is the same place you care profoundly—care enough to act. (Susan Cain, Bittersweet)
21. A love language can take so many unique forms. One of mine is consolidation.
22. Navigating life is 98% God’s grace and 2% our cooperation. I find that the lighter I am, the more united I am to Him—regardless of my awareness.
23. Least said, soonest mended.
We only end the year in gratitude and start the new year in hope by and with God’s grace. So it’s by and through God’s grace that I am grateful for this year of learning, and for the opportunity begin anew in the new calendar year ahead!