we grow older with every passing year
as the clock slowly ticks by
and the grains of sand become heavier and heavier
we look back with a gleam of hope
to see how far the tracks we have left stretch
so as not to get lost in our perpetual meanderings
to something better
Every year, I am pleasantly surprised when I get the notification that I am a year older (in Hive birthday years). A year passes so quickly and so many things happen in a year. Last year this time feels like a week ago, time does not slow down it accelerates. Last year this time I got the news that I would be teaching a module at the university, a first step so to speak in the direction of becoming a lecturer. Last year this time I was in a new relationship, beginning to build on something special. Last year this time I had no idea that I would be posting every single day for a whole year. Last year this time I also still had no answer to the concrete question "What am I doing with my life."
But since that year, so much has happened. So many new footsteps have been placed on the ever-expanding stretch of footsteps that I am accumulating. I have accumulated so many thousands of words, written here and in my PhD, articles, and in general. I have taken so many amazing photographs of my beautiful girlfriend, of our beautiful country, and of so much that nature has to offer. I have written countless poems, a novella, thousands of educational posts (focusing on my little niche world in philosophy), and hundreds of musings.
Along this journey, so many tears were cried, so many flights to a from my home, so many disruptions that have been put on our road, so many crazy things. I have drunk so many beers, eaten so many smash burgers, harvested tons of rocket (figuratively speaking), and read not nearly enough Stephen King novels. It feels like I am living my dream, I have loved ones around me, I am finishing my PhD, and I am hopefully getting my articles published. Yet, I am also in this liminal space from which I cannot escape. I am just waking up in the morning to begin to write, to begin to do research. Coffee, study, sleep, repeat. Something along those lines. I am on the path to something, yet I am not aware of the destination. But that is merely life.
How many of us really know where we are headed? Whilst we can bask in the knowledge that things are "okay-ish" for the moment, we also need to jump into the chaos, the disruptions, and the uncertainty. In those trying times, you get stronger. You go to the gym to stress your muscles so that they can grow. We need to stress ourselves to get stronger and to grow. Easier said than done really. But true nonetheless.
Along the journey, we realise how lucky we are to be alive. I am always reminded by the idea of philosopher Martin Heidegger, we are violently thrown into a world not of our making. We did not choose, we were merely "picked" and thrown into the world. And some of us did not get lucky with where we were born and all of those things. Some of us are not lucky in terms of what friends and family we have. I can continue with so many things. But what has been central in my life is to just be appreciative of what you have, what cards life dealt you, and what you make of it all. My dad always says, don't just do what you enjoy, enjoy what you do. And this is my life's philosophy if I live by one.
So, in some sense, this post is also just an appreciative nod and a thank you into the void (or for anyone who is reading this) that has come along on this journey. Community requires people, interaction, support, and so on. And one can merely say thank you for what you are offered, for what you get, for the friends you make, for what life deals you.
Cheers, to another six years (and more).
All of the musings in this post are my own. The photograph/image used in this post is an amalgamation of various photographs I used throughout the year. I link the posts below, photographs from left to right.
Image sources: Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3 | Image 4 | Image 5 | Image 6 |
Congratz and welcome to the club of 6 ;^)
This was my 6 years on Hive post, if you've got some time to spare:
6 years on Hive and 6 years of my life https://peakd.com/hive/@vincentnijman/6-years-on-hive-my-story
Oh thanks man! Six year club sounds so cool. Cannot believe that I have been here so long. Every year I think back to the moment that I received an email back then that my account was approved. Such awesome memories. Awesome, thanks for the link! I will go check it out. Cheers.
A big congratulations to you. This is such a reflective post that celebrates gratitude. I wish you more wins and all round happiness in the next one year as well. All the best to you in every of your endeavours.🤗
Thank you so much much! I really appreciate it and that you took the time to read it! Keep well.
Congratulations, my friend! It sounds like you've had an exceptional year! May the good times continue.
Thank you so much! Indeed, it was a good and productive year. I could not have asked for anything better, maybe a bit more time though! And a bit more baking! Thank you so much!
Your'e welcome!
I only saw this now and I didn't realize that you joined a while after me. Congrats on the 6 year birthday and keep up Dr. Phil. !LOL
Ps. Oh yes, Marian just reminded me that we also share the same birthday on the 6th of April every year. I am just much younger that you 😀😉😜🤣👍
lolztoken.com
Fish and ships.
Credit: boboman
@fermentedphil, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of papilloncharity
(1/10)
Hahah yes, I remember that! You are indeed much younger! Keep up the good work, as we old folk put unnecessary stress on ourselves! Haha
Thank you so much! Yes, six crazy years. Cannot even think where it all went!? And the fact that it went so fast. Did the math now and we are only a couple of weeks away from the new year. And I wanted to be finished with my PhD by now! Wishful thinking haha.
Hahaha, my only complaint about you old guys, is that you keep the hospitals busier than your love life with all kinds of complaints. !LOLZ
Crazy when you look at it. When I look at my achievements on the hive buzz site, then it continues to amaze me. Things just keep building day by day and the start feels like only 2 or maybe 3 years ago. I think that you would have made it, but something beautiful stepped into your life and it threw the PHD baby out with the bathwater. :)
lolztoken.com
Too many cheetahs.
Credit: marshmellowman
@fermentedphil, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of papilloncharity
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ENTER @WIN.HIVE'S DAILY DRAW AND WIN HIVE!
Hahaha yeah that is the problem hey? Alas, hopefully we stay out of them!
For sure, would not change a thing! I always think for a second how I would change things and how things could have gone better, but then my rational brain kicks in and I know things would not have turned out as great as they have.
Your progress far surpasses mine! But we are getting there, preparing to swim with the big fish (or orcas!).
Yes, we also think afterward that we should have done things differently, but what is done is done and we cannot go back to fix anything. Only learn the lessons.
Yip, I hope that you will get there, so just keep at it.
The more lessons we learn the better. That is why success can be good but failures even better. The more we learn to stand up after falling down, the stronger we get.
Totally agreed!
Happy hive anniversary 😊 im also a fermenter too. I have fermented yougurt, kimchi, komucha, milk kefir, and cream cheese (which i posted about recently). Thank you for spreading the word about fermentation. Greetings😊
A fellow fermenter! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I will check out your fermentation projects. We always learn so much on Hive! Keep well and happy fermenting!