Ring in the new

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

-Alfred Tennyson

We sang this hymn in church today.
I was so hoping we would.
It makes me cry every time.

New Years Eve.
The turning of a calendar to a new year.
It means something to me. It really does.
I'm a bit of a sentimental girl, I suppose.

And I've had years that were easier to say good-bye to than others.
I've had January Firsts that I just couldn't wake up to fast enough.

But this was not one of those years.

2011 will forever be the year my life turned a corner.
A real legitimate corner.

Now, I'm not so naive to think I don't have other corners to turn.
But, this year was one of those significant points in my life where I was invited to change and I took it. And I shudder to think what might have happened...or what might *not* have happened...if I hadn't accepted the invitation. I truly believe the course of my life would be different. I really really do.

So as much as I'm looking forward to all that lies ahead (and I am. I really am.),
it is with a bit of sadness that I let this past year go.

Because the world you know sometimes feels safer than the world you don't.
And I know the world of 2011 really really well now.
And, well, I'm going to miss it.

Dear 2011: I love you. From the bottom of my little heart, thank you.
(read the recap here)

Dear 2012: What do you say we give this a go? I'm ready to ring in the new.
Really. I'm ready.
xoxo

(image found here)