“Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep”

One of the longest running traditions for my family was to watch White Christmas on Christmas Eve.

We’d get in after Christmas Eve Mass, grab some food my mom had keeping warm in the crockpots and all gather in the TV room to watch It’s a Wonderful Life and White Christmas.

Since living on my own, I still carry on that tradition and make sure I watch at least one of those films during Christmas. This year I picked White Christmas. While watching the film, during this scene, I couldn’t help but think that of the applicability of this song in the way I should think of 2017 and how I wanted to move into 2018.

2017 was a roller coaster of a year. We had the bad and the ugly in full continuous force this year. Trump was sworn in, I didn’t land a dream job, Trump’s Twitter, my mom’s inability to accept my pending nuptials, worries about some friends and their life journeys, and frustrations with the current position.

But 2017 was full of blessings as well. Michael and I got engaged, I found a support base of I-LEAD that I wouldn’t trade for anything, I’ve been provided the opportunity to take on more challenging professional opportunities, I’ve learned that I do make changes in the world around me, my BFF Shawntae got engaged, my BFF HJohn got engaged and married, we got our new fur baby Lyra and Michael got his foot in the door at MDOT.

It reminds me of a phrase I told one of my students this year, that I need to remember myself “You’re still standing” and even that in itself is a blessing.

So, good-bye 2017 you challenged me, kicked my ass, brought some amazing people into my life, and brought joy, sadness and celebration. But bring on 2018. It’ll be yet another rollercoaster year with growing pains, changes, and trying to become the man I wish to be, but between the struggles, it’ll be full of blessings, including Michael and my wedding, Shawntae’s wedding and all the unknown opportunities and joys.

So if you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.

Until next YEAR!

Peace, Love and Pandas!