2024 was a year of duality.
2024 was the year my best friend moved away. Instead of across the street from me, she was suddenly towns away, and our regularly scheduled adventures would never be the same.
But it was also the year I went to a random Yaletown mixer and met a handful of incredible future friendos (pro tip: the secret to meeting amazing friends is going to a singles mixer and ignoring all the men).
2024 was the year the Canucks lost to Edmonton and were eliminated from the playoffs in the semifinals.
But it was also the year that outdoor watch parties made their epic return to Vancouver for the first time since you-know-when (#riots 😬), and we got to gather in parks and watch games together on big screens again.
2024 was the year something very bad happened at work. Like, over-the-top, you-wouldn’t-believe-me-if-I-told-you, bad.
But everything is great now and though the residual stress still hangs around like a bad sunburn, it fades a little each day.
2024 was the year my landlords listed my Yaletown apartment for sale. And now I just live each month highly aware of the fragility that comes with knowing your current idea of home is just on loan and could be taken away at any moment.
But it was also the year I was actually able to buy a 2-bed, 2-bath in my dream Port Moody neighbourhood, to rent out for now but probably live in one day.
2024 was the year that the past kept knocking on my door and asking if I wanted to reconsider anything. I didn’t. I might’ve, if not for the fact that I’ve been looking for something more extraordinary than that. Something specific. Something that I had faith existed out there, even if I never found it.
And then I found it.
2024 was a year of roller skates and bruises, monster trucks and tequila-hangovers, European adventures and broken souvenirs, and fighting the waves to watch fireworks on paddle boards (both literally and metaphorically).
2024 was the year I saw JP Saxe, City and Colour, The Bahamas, Taylor Swift (3x), Third Eye Blind (for the 9th time), 50 Cent, Vampire Weekend, Snoop Dog, The Rolling Stones, Daryl Hall (kind of), Sam Hunt, Suki Waterhouse, and The The.
2024 was the year I went to Barcelona, Portugal, Seattle, and Qualicum beach.
2024 was the last hurrah of my thirties as I barrelled towards a new decade.
What did year thirty nine teach me?
Good or bad, nothing lasts. In this life, if nothing else, just wait. Trash takes itself out. Tides turn. Things rebalance.
The good moments and the bad moments are fireflies around a campfire. Nothing is forever. It’s all a wave, baby.
2024
