reflections.

This year has been one with tons of change. A year ago I really was not sure what 2012 would bring me, and there have been all sorts of adventures that I never expected. I never thought I would be the type of girl that writes blogs every month, but here I am; still going. Anyway, this year has brought so much joy, pain, happiness, and heartbreak; however, I would not take any of it back because of the strength it has helped me develop. Graduating from high-school and moving out have been the biggest highlights this year; which also brings me to the most important thing I have figured out over the course of 2012.

During high-school, I felt pretty unhappy a lot of the time and it took me a long while to figure out that the cause of my unhappiness was my inability to let things go. Even though moving out has been one of the hardest struggles I have had, I know it would have been harder had I not learned how to catch my breath and let it go.

So, overall this year the most important thing I have learned is to let things go. To let go of pain and heartbreak. To let go of the people in my life who only cause unhappiness. To let go of the past events that have caused me to fear certain things in the future. In letting go of the things that hurt, I have been able to find peace and the true meaning of home. I can not imagine how different things would have went this year if I had not learned about the sense of peace and home that is a result of letting go. Even though I am not very sure of what is going to happen in my life or where I am going to go in the year 2013, I do know for certain that I will always be able to find my way home by letting go of anything that counteracts that sense of peace.

"Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hold on to the past is holding you back from a new life."

home.

Growing up, I never really considered the true meaning of home. To me, home was always just the house I lived in. I thought that when I left home, the new place I lived in would automatically become home. However, after I moved out I realized this way of thinking was not true at all. Home is not only where you live, but as the old saying goes, "where the heart is." Home is where one can feel completely at peace, or in other words, completely happy; regardless of what kind of situations are surrounding us.

Feeling at peace is something that every person in this world is striving to feel, and it is interesting to me that this feeling of peace is right in front of our noses; at home. I feel lucky to know that I have finally figured out what being home means to me.

Being home means being around those people who show me that they will always be there; no matter the distance. Home is being able to sit around and do nothing, but because I am with those people, that feeling of peace overwhelms me. Knowing that I will always have people that are my "constants," makes me know that I can always find my way back to them, back to this home. No matter where my life takes me, those people who make an effort to stay a part in my life will always be home to me, and I know that I am very lucky to have this. No matter how hard it is to be away from my physical home, I know I will always have a place in their hearts; a place at home. My only hope is that they can see the place that they will always hold in my heart as well; home.

"Home is not where you live, but where they understand you."