That Time Of Year Again

In lieu of a New Year's Resolution, I'm opting to take inventory of the things I've learned over the past year:

1) That nothing's more important than family and friends.
2) That you should never say never. Because nothing's impossible.
3) That sometimes friends that you thought would always be there for you aren't. And sometimes friends that you never knew you could count on before become exactly what you need.
4) That you never know what's going on in people's lives: people who seem strong and steady sometimes aren't, and people who seem weak can often surprise you.
5) That we really don't have control in life, and we really never know what tomorrow will hold. Some days can be sunny and bright while the next can bring about storms, tsunamis strike without any warning at all, earthquakes can literally wipe out populations, and that often the real victims of these events are those left behind.
6) That true wisdom isn't always conventional wisdom.
7) That the past should be left there in most situations.
8) That the older I get, the more interesting my grandparents become...and the more I realize how lucky I am to come from such a close-knit family.
9) That there's nothing more genuine than a child - they tell you your breath stinks if it does, that you look goofy if you do, and that your make up is smeared if it is. But that makes it much more special when they say something nice or when they giggle. Because you know it comes from some place that's real.
10) That the things I dislike in other people are usually the things I dislike about myself. And it helps to pin point the changes I need to make.
11) That my relationships aren't perfect, often because I'm not perfect. But there's something special about their imperfection.
12) That it's ok to be silly.
13) That it only takes a simple twist of fate to lose everything, so it's important to truly live and enjoy today, and to say how you feel right when you feel it because you never know if you're going to have another chance...
14) That you should NEVER go out looking at Christmas lights sans bra, in your pajamas and leopard print house shoes, because you never know if your truck's going to end up stuck in a ditch somewhere. Trust me on this one :)