I cruised the bridge, found a good spot and cracked a book to kill a couple hours of waiting time. No sooner had I taken out my book when I stepped back to let someone get past and coincidentally stepped on a guy's shoe behind me. I turned to apologize and never got back to reading my book because we instantly hit it off and talked for the next 2 + hours. Naturally.
His name is Josh. He just graduated from AIU (ironically the school I was looking at attending pre-NY). He majored in Interior Design and has lived here for over 2yrs. He's originally from SoCal, although he's lived all over since he was 17. Turns out we have just about everything in common from the age we left home, to our nomadic zest for life, to a passion for film, to the same favorite book! We even both like men! :) I guess the only thing we don't agree on is Vegetarianism. I like a good steak. With A-1 Sauce. We talked and talked and talked, not a moment of silence during the last hours of 2008. We marveled at our chance meeting and what the odds were of finding the only other lone American on an expansive bridge in the middle of London and hitting it off immediately!?
Finally the time came to usher in 2009. Just after a digital countdown was projected on the building next to The London Eye, Big Ben chimed midnight and Fireworks exploded into the air announcing a New Year. It was breathtaking. 10 minutes later the finale burst the sky wide open, and in one perfect instant the night was lit with every color you could think of! Then, they all winked out together at the same moment. That was the best part. It took my breath away.
It was a remarkable ending to a remarkable year.
Reflecting on 2008 I can only sum it up as the best-worst year of my life. I've been through so much this year and, as Maya Angelou says, "Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now". Every month brought the best and the worst. I faced horrible trials and tribulations that had me writhing in pain both physically and emotionally and, often directly after, blessings poured out in abundance with me literally jumping for joy!
If you had told me last year on 12/31/2007 that I'd be ringing in 2009 in London thanks to landing the best job of my career, it would have saved me A LOT of stress. Particularly at that time. But, I'm glad I didn't know because otherwise I wouldn't have had the opportunity to exercise my faith and trust in God, and follow the path that had been laid for me.
It's been a wild ride and I look forward to what awaits in the next 365 days!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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