Don't let a sting slow you down

Sometimes I feel like I don't know much, most of the rest of the time I'm pretty sure that I haven't got a clue of how this madcap life is supposed to be going.  Occasionally though, I stumble upon something that appears to be a gem of reality, even when, like this one, it's completely stolen from someone smarter than me (thanks Mama!) Life changes constantly and sometimes it changes really fast. 

Life has changed a lot of the past few months and nothing quite calls attention to how life has changed than the holidays. A lot of people were worried about how I would feel this Christmas without Wes.  I am proud to say that I more than survived Christmas this year, I positively enjoyed it.  I had a wonderful time with my family, received far more thoughtful gifts than I could possibly deserve, created a reading nest with an electric blankie and overall was surrounded by love which is really all one can hope for in life.

Christmas was lovely but I have in fact been dreading New Years Eve.  Actually, I dread New Years every year so this isn't new or a product of singleness.  New Years Eve is this one night every year that gets heaped in the expectations of  being THE BEST NIGHT EVER!  I have to honestly say though I've never had a New Years Eve that lived up to the hype, because once people start realizing that it's not really going to the "best night ever!" we just up the drinking and by morning don't even remember that it wasn't anything to write home about. Awesome right?  Some of the best New Years Eve's I've ever had have been low key, with people I enjoy and didn't in epic hangovers the next day.  Actually, now that I write it out that's probably my formula for all good nights: low key, vomit free and with people I adore.

I know, I sound like a Scrooge and okay, maybe I'm being a little bit Scroogie at the moment.  You see all of my old friends (and I use the term 'old' not necessarily as former but as indication of that group of people that I hung out with when I was one half of a couple) are going out to St. Augustine to ring in the new year.  I wasn't really invited to this.  I found out about it on Facebook a few weeks ago and I have to admit, that stung a little.  Granted, I've been asked by a few people over the past couple weeks if I will be coming out to St. Augustine with them which I suppose is an invite in itself but you know, it's just not. 

Life changed.  Life changed fast. 

The good news in all of this is that while this changed life may occasionally sting, the change its self is often for the better.  I found that I have friends who invite me for me and not just through the person I may or may not be dating.  This year, instead of going along on the drunken quest for THE BEST NIGHT EVER, I'll be wearing a funny hat (it's that or a dress and heels and we all know that silly hat trumps pointy shoes every time) with people that I adore and sipping good champagne that won't make me want to die in the morning. 

The other thing that I think I might know now?  Don't let a sting slow you down.