Resolving 2010

2010 was personally the best year I think I have ever had. A wedding, a honeymoon, family, friends - everything seemingly fell into place as it should. It's probably a bit egotistical to think that there was this sense of destiny and purpose to my 2010, but in the end, everything just seemed too right.

*cough* screw you Texas football teams *cough*

Seriously, 2010 was so good that my conscious outlook on life has invariably shifted to be more future-oriented, rather than this perpetual dawdling in the present; simply, I want more years like this.

We are all guilty of falling into the routine of the day to day. It's weird, but reaching the pinnacle of happiness has etched in my brain that need to always maintain that feeling - that way of life. For me, it was about finally thinking seriously about resolving what I wanted with what I needed.

It was about the goal. My goal last year was to marry my partner for life. Since then, it's been this spider-webbing of possibilities in mind about what my potential could be. I want to be a better husband. I want to be a better friend. I want to one day be the best brother/son/dad/uncle ever. I want more years like 2010.

We are taught by society that in our college years, it's all about carpe diem, to enjoy the day while it lasts. It's like I have been in this protracted tug of war between that mentality and figuring out what comes next. Now I want to know what comes next.

I shifted my perspective.

Take the concept of Captain "Save-a-ho" that was introduced the other night by my wife: it's a pretty loose social work description of that guy that gets stuck in the rut of dating the same ol' "fixer-uppers." Cpt. SaHs always seems to attract, or be attracted to, those women with unresolved emotional baggage or neediness complexes (from trauma or abuse) that invariably will blow up the relationship anyway because in reality, it is impossible for Cpt. SaHs to save them.  I have friends and family that are Captains, and they are the nicest guys in the world - and you really just want them to learn from their mistakes, because they start to wear that cape like a curse.

I want to tell those guys that there are no knights in shining armor anymore. There are no magic moments, epiphanies, or celestial beings that will come along and guide you to where we need to be. There is no need to stay in those ruts, to still wear that "Save-a-ho" cape. "Save-a-bro" and save yourself.

2010 felt like destiny because I made it my destiny. Last year taught me that there is not only joy in the present, but ultimate satisfaction in reaching the present having achieved a lifelong goal.

Now, I have about 1000 lifelong goals parading through my consciousness, vying for my attention.

Nice to meet you 2011, I have been looking forward to it.