Dear 28

 Dear 28, 

    I thought it might be hard to say goodbye to you because it means being one year closer to 30, but truthfully I am ready to move forward. You were a year filled with celebrations, disappointments, travels, tiny victories, and hope. You brought me unexpected moments and people which have now become memories I treasure and some that are better left behind. In your year, I was able to experience the joy of Disney World, the anxiousness of starting a new job, the wonder of New York City, the pain of heart break, and the strengthening of my roots. I wouldn't trade a single moment of it because it helped shape me and prepare me for what comes next. 

    I will say this was the first year that I wasn't blazing through the final days of you to get to my birthday. It's not that I was dreading letting you go, but I wanted to savor every moment because I knew I would never get them back. 29, you were coming whether I wanted you to or not, so I had to enjoy each day that was left of you, 28. You were the year that I thought my life would look like I had always dreamed. I thought I would be ending you unlike how I started you and in some ways I am. In the details it looks different, but big picture I still feel like I am in the same spot. I'm sure it's a beautifully crafted lie by the devil to create resentment, but I don't feel like letting him win today. I know I'm not the same person from a year ago. 

    I may not be walking into 29 how I had anticipated, but I think I'm better off. Actually, I know I am. 28, you taught me that I have a voice and how to use it. You showed me that I don't have to settle. You gave me opportunities to learn more about myself and what I want. You helped me see that the love I have to give is a beautiful gift, but not everyone will appreciate it, and that's okay. You reminded me that I don't have to prove myself to know that I'm enough. You taught me how to put boundaries in place and keep them. You allowed me to rediscover old passions, try new things, and go places I'd never been before. Best of all, you were the year that I grew in my faith more than I ever have, and the year I began writing my book. You rekindled the hope that there are still far, far better things ahead, which is what makes letting you go so easy. 

     28, you will become a stepping stone in my life. Hopefully, one among many others to come, but one I am happy to leave behind. I am not afraid of the future because I know who is building it before I even take a step into it. I look expectantly to 29, and I am filled with excitement of what's to come. Thank you for your year of growth and change. Thank you for helping me continue to become the best version of myself. Thank you for all the memories. Thank you for bringing me to the exact place I am in today. What a year it has been, 28.

Here's to 29.