happy new year?

so i'm back in atlanta after a wonderful 10 days in los angeles. hung out with family, ate lots, saw many good friends...a bit of a whirlwind, so i can't believe that i'm back here in atlanta, and it's 2008.

one of my last dinners there, someone asked, what was our most memorable 2007 moment...and i realized that i had too many to choose from. i traveled a lot this year (europe, canada, bali, tanzania), turned 30, finished up my graduate program (i know it was truly painful, but now that it's over, it didn't seem all that bad...kinda like childbirth maybe? that or, it was so traumatizing that i've repressed those memories...), moved to atlanta and started working at the cdc (which i actually really, really like), all while having such a good time with family and friends at countless dinners, parties, gatherings...

so it's only been 3 days into the new year, but already, it's turning out to be a difficult one. even while remembering all the amazing blessings of 2007, there's been news of so much conflict around the world, and i've also been hearing about some tragic, unexpected deaths...not people i know personally, but friends of friends and people at work. i was thinking about it last night, and i remember feeling discouraged last january as well...then it hit me that at a time when people are supposed to feel most hopeful, things seem to happen to bring discouragement and pain. it's not a coincidence...so my new year's resolution is to hold on to an irrational hope because my God brings light into darkness, peace in conflict, and love and redemption in pain and suffering...happy new year.