Looking Back and Forward.

I don't know if it was that noticeable, but people really are more excited about 2010. I for one am.

It may not be manifested in the fireworks display that midnight of January 1st, 2010, since we are seeing less of the fireworks compared to years that have passed, but the certain glow in peoples' faces shone much brighter than the lit sky.

People were smiling out of happiness or out of hope. I think we were all just looking forward to seeing better days after coming from a bad one.

Looking back, 2009 was not a very good year. People all over the world were struggling because of the recession that hit late 2008 which led to a lot of job cuts, financial instability, personal crisis and hopelessness. Add to that are all the unforeseen disasters that just made the year turn for the worse. Although my personal struggles had nothing to do with the recession (I was blessed enough to have a good stable job and income), my 2009 was not such a good one either.

Here are some of the sad things that happened in my 2009.

At the start of the year, my beloved lola (grandmother) passed away. During the course of my lola's wake, my lolo (grandfather) developed a flu out of emotional pain and a few weeks after- a couple of days after his birthday- he also passed away.

Most of my closest friends and colleagues started quitting their jobs and left.

Despite wanting to get away, I canceled a few trips and holidays to which I already had non-refundable tickets to because of a lot of unfortunate circumstances.

I had a terrible tummy flu that tied me down to my bed, and for a time, I thought was the dreaded swine flu.

I went through some heart drama. again.

My sister and I got held up. An armed man robbed me of lots of stuff I worked hard for, and my sister still has a scar from the knife that went through her wrist.

My family was somehow affected by typhoon Ondoy, one of the worst storms to hit Manila. We were still very much blessed compared to many during this ordeal, but it was so heartbreaking to hear about what happened to a lot of good people we care for.

Overall, it really wasn't such a good year (except maybe for the last few months of the year when things started to get better). But coming from a year that wasn't too nice to me obviously makes me more excited and hopeful about this year.

I did start the year believing 2010 will be exciting. I declared it to people with such conviction that it would be. By exciting, I meant, it would be full of life, meaning and interesting stories to tell and experience. Exciting could be a combination of both good and bad. It's probably going to be both most of the time, but I really don't care. I just want to be able to go through each day, witness the months unfold, and feel more alive!

It's actually starting to happen. The year has just started and so much has been going on already. Lately, I've been having those exciting, and somewhat funny types of experiences that make you want to just go up in the mountains and scream...

Come on, 2010, bring it on!!!

I am looking forward to what you have in store and I am SO READY for you.