Progression

The clock has struck twelve, poppers bursting with confetti. The New Year's DJ plays loudly on the TV, mixing odd tunes with even odder beats. Unlike most New Year's Eves, there isn't much rushing through my head. There isn't a constant resolution that I need to do, something that needs to be righted. I see countless posts on social media sites saying things like, "New year, new me." Or "What's in the past stays in the past." Many people like to forget the struggles they went through the year before, any hardships, and many great things. 

I, for one, refuse to forget 2013. It has been the greatest year in my sixteen year old life.

This year I've found and done many things in my life that I will never lose of forget. Just recently, only three months ago, I first posted on this blog to my "many" readers, when at that time it was pretty much me, myself, and I. I joined Spotlight Youth Theater, the family of theater kids that reignited my passion for all of the arts, not just the art of the stage. I met my best friend. Think that we've only known each other for nine months, and that I am as bound to her as I am, is remarkable. I don't know what I'd do without her, and it only took me fifteen years to find out she exists. 

I switched schools. This was a really big change. A massive jump from my 120 kid, private high school. I leapt in to a whole new world, feet first, and I was rewarded for my efforts. I've now made more friends at my new high school than I ever could hoped to achieve, and I love them all. 

I've a become a better person. 2013 was the big year of change for Jonathon Mickel, and I'm glad it was. Had it been a year earlier, I would have missed one of the most delightful years I'd ever had at HCA. Had it been a year later, I would have missed all of my senior buddies at Central, who happen to be my best friends there. God had his timing for all of it. And I'm glad he chose the year I've been the most mature and well-minded. I wish I could say I praise him every day for it, but that just wouldn't be true. That's something I really do need to work on in the future, as well as today, as I finish up this post at 12:38 AM on January 1, 2014. 

Don't forget the wonderful things 2013 had to offer, and use what you struggled with to lift you higher in the future.

Happy New Yeat everyone. Welcome to 2014.