Go Forward

"You can still turn back, you know. But to go on, to take those steps, that would be the bravest of all moments. Whatever happens afterwards is nothing. Yes, here is where you fight your real battle, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. Do you go back? No."

-The Hobbit animated movie, with a nod to J.R.R. Tolkien's original quote

To go on, to take those steps, that would be the bravest of all moments.

Maybe you're like me. Maybe you're not sure you feel ready for a new year or a clean slate or fresh shiny goals, all those things that usually sound so lovely and freeing. Maybe you, too, feel slammed into this new year, still gasping for air after the trials of the old one.

This past year was a difficult one. High, low, high, and then low, low, lower than ever, autumn crashed its way into winter and I'm still reeling. Some days are okay and other days aren't at all; there are still fresh waves of pain because I just can't forget.

I don't feel very brave as I look into this new year. But I simply need to go on. In fact, I've already taken those first tentative but brave steps. I've already gone on, walked through pain because I chose to continue rather than turn back. I've already fought that first real battle and here I continue forward, ever forward.

That will have to do for now.

If you, like me, don't feel quite ready for this new year, don't worry. Don't fret about resolutions and intentions and goals and Becoming A Better You. Just go on. Just choose to walk forward into this new year; that would be the bravest of all things.

Go forward in hope.