Looking Back with Gratitude, Moving Forward with Hope

The year is coming to an end, and I'm grateful to God for how far it went to date. Although there are dark days, beyond that there are wonderful days filled with pleasant memories that make the year a remarkable one for me. Many of those things that played out this year made it a year I can't forget in a hurry. In the same light, Christmas is here after a long wait and anticipation; it's now hours away from being over, and I must say this Christmas went well, as I spent it with families and had a great time that'll, in the future, be remembered for good.

Talking about what I'm most grateful for this year, I must say without a doubt that it's the fact that I got married to the love of my life and the woman who completes me. For years I've had a terrific opinion about relationships, not to talk of marriage, but this lady came into the picture and changed it all. For this, I'm not only grateful that I ended up being the lucky one for her but also for the fact that she chose me and completes me in ways I thought I needed none, so if there's anything I'm most grateful for, it's getting married to the bone of my bone.

I've always been a kindhearted person, as much as I know myself. I don't know if people have an ulterior opinion, but that's my own opinion of myself, and I must say without any doubt that I've been kind to lots of people throughout the course of the year, not just to people who it might seem I'm helping them because of what I hope to get, but to people I stand no chance of getting anything back in return from. I love to help and do that to the best of my ability, even when some people do things that make me regret it at times. Still, I show compassion to all and do my best to have a positive impact on their lives.

When it comes to handling disappointment, it's worth noting that disappointment can be devastating and hurtful, so regardless of how good we are at managing our emotions, we'll still feel the pains that come from disappointment, but overall I've come to understand that everything won't always go as planned or go my way, so when I'm faced with disappointment, I console myself with the fact that it's just another phase of life and that there will definitely be better days ahead, and I'll sail through that disappointment, rise again, and begin to achieve things that are beyond my wildest imagination.

All photos are mine.