Miss J: A Year to Remember

At the start of each year, we devise a list of things we want to accomplish; resolutions, we call them. In my opinion, it's cliche that we need a specific day in order to start bettering ourselves. There are 364 other days in the year, what are we doing then? I am a true believer that each day is a new opportunity for a fresh start. It really grinds my gears when people start throwing up gang signs and shouting "YOLO!" No fool! Everyday we wake and live again... We only die once. There is no use waking up and thinking 'what if?' or worrying about what tomorrow holds - the present and what we are doing today is what truly matters.

Yesterday is history;
Tomorrow is a mystery;
Today is a gift - that's why it's called the present

This past year, this quote resonated with me more than ever. It was a year filled with positive changes and one I definitely won't forget!

2013 was a year filled with challenges to my comfort zone, which in turn reminded me to appreciate the little things in life. In April, travelling to Peru and participating in the 4 day Macchu Picchu hike. Hiking 6 hours a day was a physical challenge for me but was also mentally challenging - I had to be my own silent cheerleader; often urging myself to take those next few steps before we arrived at our next rest spot. The bugs, squatter toilets and not showering for 4 days were off-putting but I made it through. I developed a huge appreciation for the abundance of fresh water we have at home - a luxury I'm sure many of us overlook. Day 2 of the hike was the most challenging and memorable; being mainly uphill and up to 4900 meters elevation. Erin and I were third and fourth to arrive to the top, where we waited for the others in our group to make their trek up. Nearly an hour later, the group of 11 stood up and cheered on the 65 year old man through his final steps to the top - he had been struggling throughout the day. I will never forget his tears of appreciation for our encouragement and patience. He brought the entire group to tears - for those 4 days, we were family.

In June, I was having an early birthday celebration with friends in NYC when news of the Calgary flood hit. The news caused a mix of emotions - selfishly, I felt elation that I could extend my vacation but fear for the safety of friends and family back home. Upon returning, I was overwhelmed by how quickly strangers banned together for the cause of putting our beloved city back together. Reminiscing about the volunteers exchanging greetings and the appreciative hugs we received from the homeowners we helped still brings tears to my eyes. Yes, I am a sap... The end of the month took a upbeat turn with the arrival of my new baby niece, which to date is the best birthday present I have ever gotten.

July brought on the usual Stampede antics - pancake breakfasts, deep fried errythang and loads of visits to the beer tents. Ah, summer had arrived! Another exciting gift, a new baby cousin! Another adorable drooling addition to my already enormous family. I feel bad for any new significant others - good luck determining who's who in the zoo. Between road trips to the 780, most of the month was spent with the fam jam - much needed QT. July ended off with Wil's dirty 30 birthday party. Definitely the most elaborate themed party I have been to. My cousin's girlfriend pulled all the stops in bringing Vegas to the 403 - black jack dealers, slot machines, the girls all dressed up as burlesque dancers and endless drinks! By the end of the night, I could have sworn the theme was Shots! Shots! Shots! S-s-s-hots!

The beginning of August brought on the realization that I was actually making this move to Oz. I recall sitting there just staring at my calendar in shock to how quickly the year had flown by, much like how I am feeling now as I type this. The first weekend of the month was Chasing Summer, something I had been looking forward to all summer. I was happy to have gone with such a fun group of people, especially the family! We still sit around and laugh about all the crazy wide-eyed, fist pumping we did that weekend. I don't think I will ever forget when Above and Beyond closed out the festival with Sun & Moon and shot off fireworks. The crowd singing along, everyone's hands up in the air, faces lit up by the lights from the stage... August long weekend, I was lucky enough to have scored floor seats to the JT and Jay-Z concert in Vancouver. Even luckier to have a girls weekend with D, before the big move to the Land Down Under. The concert lasted nearly three hours, each artist performing 15 of their hits. They closed with Young Forever and goosebumps crept over my skin (not the kind I get when you peeps say the M-word; these were good goosebumps!) when I looked around the stadium, seeing lighters in the air, blurred shadows swaying to the beat of the music and lips mouthing the lyrics of the song. It really was a picture perfect day to last a whole lifetime. After our Vancouver trip, life seemed to move on fast forward.

September was by far the most exciting month this year. The girls kidnapped me for a day (blindfold and all) and surprised me with a spa day in Banff, followed by lunch at the Grizzly House. One of the many 'to do's' on my list before I left. The following weekend was less PG version of girls weekend, after all, we were in Sin City. Shopping sprees, buffets, party after party... Fake name after fake name! I love our annual weekend away. The rest of the month was filled with coffee, lunch and dinner dates. Thank you again friends for the incredible send off <3

Fast forward three months (yes, I have been here for three months!) and here I am! I don't feel the need to recap everything I have experienced because, well, you can click on the past links, lazy!

The initial intention of this post was to recap my year but as I typed this, my mind was flooded with these moments which I somehow had forgotten... Sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we forget to stop and appreciate all that is good. Hell, I've got guilty written all over me; even here in Melb'n where life has no real stresses! Although many of these stories revolve around my travels, the memories that are embedded in my heart are not tied to anything monetary. It's true when they say the best things in life are free. A lot of unfortunate and shitty things can happen over the course of a year but when we look back, in particular over a longer span of time, we don't recall the negative. We remember random acts of kindness, the way the sun kisses our face those glorious summer day, the times we danced the night away... I started off this post by saying how cliche New Years resolutions are, but admittedly, I make a list every year. What can I say? That bandwagon looks inviting, I better hop on! Last year, I resolved to make more time for myself, forgo toxic relationships (sounds harsh but much needed) and focus my time and energy on the ones which matter. It was a tough feat but I think I succeeded.

This year, along with my usual "avoid carbs because they are the devil" goals, I resolve to focus on being in the moment and to remove my blinders; I have been told I have tunnel vision - too focused for my own good. In addition, I am going to start a Good Feelin' Jar - I'm still working on the name... Now taking suggestions in the comment box. Lack of creativity, check! I digress... At the end of each day, I am going to write on a slip of paper (post-it, gum wrapper, whatever is within arms reach basically) something that made me smile that day. And whenever I am in need (let's face it, we all have those days, even if you crap out rainbows and sunshine), I can reach into the jar and remind myself of that good feeling; instead of waiting an entire year to update a blog to recall the often small but great things we tend to forget to appreciate.

People always ask what the most memorable part of my trips are and more often than not, the stories revolve around meeting new people, hearing their stories and sharing my own. There is an inexplicable bond that is shared between people who are travelling. You may not know them for long and they may not be a part of your life forever, but you will always have the moment where your paths crossed.

I have met some remarkable people on my journey thus far and without a doubt will continue to do so as I continue on my year long adventure. To my friends who have made Melb'n everything it is - thank you. I can't fathom what life would be like without all of you. To my friends and family back home - I miss you and wish I could share this experience with you. I hope my words here are enough. To those who have come and gone - your presence in my life has somehow shape me into the person I am today; thank you.

Here's to another year filled with change, adventure, good health, great friends and a lifetime of memories. Cheers to 2014 - let it be the best year yet!

WIth love,
J

January