Countdown

Every year, we approach the eve of the New Year withsentiments of thanksgiving, of joy, of celebration and hope. We ponder the happeningsof the fleeting year we leave behind (often through griping Facebook statusupdates) and eagerly await a new one, one we hope will be filled with grace andgood things. So much so, we literally count down the minutes and the secondsand exclaim our happiness with shouts of joy, and express it with warm embracesamong our loved ones.

For me, another countdown begins. The countdown to my departureto a new place, filled with new people, new experiences, and new lessons to belearned. I count down until the days that will be spent basking in culture, andreveling in the wonders outside of the bustling city that knows no rest.  And I also count down the last few days andmoments spent with family and close friends.

So I say goodbye to 2012, truly thankful for everything itembodied, and I look forward to the events of 2013, firmly believing that theyare all in the hands of the One who fashioned my experiences before I livedthem. I wish everyone a truly blessed year, and as always, to God be the glory.