No matter how long a road looks, every step taken brings us closer to the destination. I once again welcome you to the month of December. It's really amazing to see how time moves. At the beginning of the year, it felt like the start of a very long journey. December which is the end of the year looked so far away that it almost felt like something we won't get to. But here we are, already standing in the very month that once seemed a thousand years away.
Well, I welcome you to the month of December, a month that carries the atmosphere of celebration. A month that marks the end of the year, a month where people begin to look back at how far they have come. A month of new resolutions, even though many of those resolutions end up abandoned by February. A month where people decorate their homes, travel to see loved ones, prepare for festivities, and create memories. A month that always reminds us that no matter what happened during the year, there is still room to be appreciative for life, and be thankful for everything that has happened. Many people couldn't see the end of this year, not because they don't want to but because it was time for them to go.
The journey from January to December has been a mixture of challenges, growth, and then mercy for me. To be honest, this year rushed in a way I did not expect. It still feels like yesterday when we celebrated 2024 Christmas and also my uncle’s wedding, and now it is already one year since that day. Time truly moves with its own speed.
I started the year on a wrong and painful note. Losing my grandfather was the first blow. He was someone I was close to, and his passing really created an emptiness in my heart. Grief as we know is not something you can prepare for, and entering a new year with that kind of heaviness was not easy.
Then few days before my grandfather burial, I also got scammed by scammers who have access to my account and wipe everything living me with debts I did not plan for, and it added another pain I was going through that period.
Not long after that, at around February, I had health challenges. I been in the hospital twice this year. The second visit was so serious that I was placed on emergency treatment for a whole week.
I also escaped two accidents this year. Thankfully, there were no injuries or losses, but the shock of those moments had really stayed with me for a while.
When I look back at all of this, I can only say God truly kept me.
But even with all the challenges and difficult moments, there were blessings that comes with the year in different corners, and to be honest, when I made an attempt to count them, I realize that the good also found its way into my life.
This year, I successfully rounded up my National Youth Service. It was a major step forward for me and I'm proud of myself for reaching this point and for creating path for other members of my family to follow.
One of the most beautiful parts of my year was reconnecting with my extended family. For over a decade, we had not seen each other. But around April, I travelled home, and that reunion became one of the most memorable moments of my year. Seeing my cousins who were just little children then, now grown into mature adults was just surprising and amazing to me.
This year also gave me a chance to learn new skills, especially digital skills, which have help me grow and expand my knowledge. They opened my mind to new possibilities and helped me move forward, despite the challenges I faced earlier.
Many blessings happen to me this year that I can't mentioned then all. So when I look at the full picture of this year, I see a year that tested me and blessed me. It was not perfect, but it was meaningful. I am grateful to God for everything He has done, from the protection to the provision, to the moments of joy that came after seasons of pain.
As we step into December, I do so with a grateful heart. The journey has not been easy, but I am still here. You are still here. And that alone is worth celebrating. May this month bring peace, joy, and happiness to you and your love onces, even as we are closing to the story of this year.
Welcome to December and wish you a happy celebration in advance.