how do you measure a year?

How do you measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife? In five hundred, twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes ... how do you measure a year in the life?

- lyrics from RENT

A year ago, I boarded an Air Canada flight with a one-way ticket and flew across the country to begin a whole new life. I realize that sounds incredibly melodramatic, but it's the honest truth. I moved to this lovely city by the sea for a variety of reasons but, at the end of the day, my intent was to spread my wings of newly-discovered independence and "make it" on my own. I left behind everything I was familiar with  ... my friends, my family, my day-to-day life ... and took a chance at something new. When I landed in Vancouver on that rainy, foggy evening I knew I was in for a crazy adventure but I had no idea just how much the next 365 days would transform me.

I am not the same girl I was a year ago. I've learned so, so much - about myself, about the people around me, about faith, about God, about life in general. From the big to the small ... learning to navigate around a new city, learning to do the Slumdog Millionaire "Jai Ho" dance, learning how to balance a budget ... a year later, I now look back at every moment and every experience with gratitude and pride.

I look back at my year and I can't believe some of things I was blessed to get to be a part of. Singing the national anthem on a bus full of strangers when Canada won gold in men's hockey during the Olympics, driving down the Sea to Sky Highway on a cool summer evening with the wind blowing through my curls, long walks along the beach, early morning coffee dates and fine dining with friends ... this is the stuff chick flicks are made of, folks!

Oh, it wasn't always peaches and cream. To those of you still living at home with your parents, hear me on this - having your own place and your own life is NOT all cute home decor and cupcake baking. I wish I had used this blog more often to document the struggles I encountered and the homesickness I often felt. Regardless, I can honestly say that I'm thankful even for all the not-so-awesome moments as they made me a stronger person and showed me how brave and determined I can be in times of trial. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it in a heart beat.

2010 was all about learning experiences and seizing new opportunities, and I hope to keep that momentum of personal growth going in 2011. In addition to eating more cheese, I've added a few more goals to my list of things to accomplish in 2011. My list of resolutions is now as follows ~

1. Become a cheese connoisseur

2. Cook or bake a total of 36 new recipes + use my cookbooks more often

3. Read more poetry

I'll keep you all updated on how my resolutions are going as the year progresses. My word last year was "trust" and it turned out to be completely appropriate as I learned to trust God, others and myself. My word for 2011 is going to be "love".

I'm going to measure my life in love. ♥

xo