#10yearchallenge I'm wearing the same sweater in the top two photos. Meanwhile, the bottom two photos are of me at commencement ceremonies in Dec. '09 at BGSU and May '19 at JCU.
Facebook and Instagram recently ran a hashtag called the "#10yearchallenge". Social media users were asked to post comparative photos of themselves from 10 years ago (2009) and this year (2019). Oftentimes, in moments like these, it is easy to get fixated on visible physical differences between ourselves now and 10 years ago. How do we look different? How is our hair? How is our face? How is our body? What about the clothes we are wearing?
Observing the external, physical bodies that we have is natural and healthy. Yet, such moments like these also allow us to reflect upon how we have changed in other aspects of our lives. How have we changed emotionally? How have we changed mentally? How have we changed spiritually? How have we changed socially?
In some cases, our changes are indeed linear. However, growth in our various aspects of self is often not linear. Sometimes, we have setbacks and regression. We definitely have moments of weakness and disappointment. Life is not always pleasant.
Yet, as we recognize the not-so-good moments, we must remain open to the good that does happen. It is also important to recognize the good that can and will happen through our optimism, hard work, and relationships with others. Some progress will be incremental and slow; other progress will happen quickly. Interestingly enough, even quick changes are not always loud and can occur quietly without other people noticing.
I look forward to taking more time to reflect in the days and months ahead. Until then, I know that I continue to learn about myself and my various layers and how those layers connect with the people and environments around me.
To each and every person who has read this blog post, thank you for reading! Wishing peace, love, joy, and many blessings for each of us in 2020 and beyond!