Year to Years 11 September 2015

 

Today marks the 14^th anniversary of 9/11. A day that all Americans (with a conscience memory at the time) will always be able to say where they were and what they were doing when they either heard about the attacks or witnessed the black smoke rising. Tomorrow Ethiopians welcome in their new year of 2008. The start of something new. In 9 days, I will celebrate my one-year anniversary of being a sworn in Peace Corps Volunteer. The following day I can claim to be living in Selekleka for a year.

Some years I don’t remember, but a few details. I know in 1993 I became a sister for the first time, but only remember playing with my other little brother three years later. In 1997, I remember the long moving U-haul ride from Colorado to Oregon with my Dad and Grandpa, and starting kindergarten. Besides learning about the terrorist attacks, 2001 was also the year I got braces and started basketball.

Other years I could tell you lots about. 2008 (Gregorian Calendar) was split between Junior and Senior year, where I started with a dislocated knee injury attempting to heal, third place at the 2A State Basketball tournament, and tons of Mr. Miller’s Humanities homework. Over that summer, Philip and I spent 10 days traveling around Spain and then meeting up with family in Scotland for a month long tour following the Reformation Historical sites. I ended that summer clipping fish fins at the local fish and wildlife park. Senior Year started with AP English classes, being on homecoming court, going to the first round of volleyball playoffs, and being FFA President. A long year with many memorable events.

I know mathematicians (and musical writers) can determine that there are 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525, 600 minutes in a year. Every 3 of 4 years follow this pattern, except on Leap Years when we gain 1 day, 24 hours, 1,440 minutes. So what makes one year have more valuable or worthy of recognition than another if they are all mathematically the same?

Some things math cannot measure adequately: events in the time. These events can be single hours or days like 9/11, or the start or end of long term events such as high school, college, first job, marriage, etcetera.  They cannot be predicted precisely when they will start or the effect that they will have long term. When I sat on the bench during that third place tournament game, I never would have known that it would be my motivation to work harder then ever to strengthen my weak knee so that the following year, I would play all but 1:43 of the championship game. The impact of a day or a year may not be realized until much later.

This last year, 2007 Ethiopian Calendar, is different in that I’ve lived with more purpose, peace and drive then I’ve ever lived for so long before. I’ve become enveloped in a community, a culture that I love as familiar. I acted out I dream started in 6^th grade, 13 years ago, to teach in East Africa. I got my first place entirely alone. I have not touched American soil on the North American continent (technically, I went to the US Embassy here). I know I’ve learned many things about myself, others, and the American and Ethiopian cultures whose impact I won’t understand fully for many years to come.

What I do know, is that a year is made up of opportunities. Opportunities that cannot be predicted, valued, or determined with a mathematical formula. Opportunities to make parts of a year mundane, exciting, interesting, challenging, fun, relaxing, motivating or blah. I have no idea where I will be in a year. I can make educated guesses, but those can’t always come true. What I do know is that each day is a chance to make a year, a life, worthwhile. So, that’s my 2008 (Ethiopian Calendar) New Year’s Resolution: To give each hour, day, week, month the opportunity to make me a better a person, spread happiness to those around me, and live for the eternal kingdom.