The year 2022 has not been a great year, nor has it been a terrible year. I learned about myself, others, and the person I want to be. I suppose that it has been an introspective year.
At the start of the year, I got a five-week case of COVID. I could hardly go up the stairs. I coughed until I saw stars and blacked out. I couldn’t breathe really well. I was weak. My hair fell out so much that I would cry in the shower as it collected at the drain. What did I learn from this experience? I learned compassion. It isn’t that I was utterly devoid of compassion, to begin with, but I did learn that I don’t want to be the person that puts my personal beliefs above the needs of others. That means a lot to me now. I will NEVER push my beliefs or lifestyle on others. Period. I will not be selfish. Everyone has a right to their own bodies, their own beliefs, and their own lifestyles. I will not tell you how to believe, who to believe in, and what path you should walk. Nor will I criticize you openly for not holding the same beliefs. No snarky memes or sharing of other posts. I will not diminish your struggles and compare my good fortune to your bad fortune. I will not blindly follow like a sheeple. This is the person I decided I wanted to be.
As the year continued, I learned that I have bipolar II. It was a bit of a shock but also a comfort. Once I was put on medication, it was like a fog lifted. Recently, I learned that I might be neurodivergent. In other words, my psychologist/psychiatrist feels I might exhibit enough OCD behaviors to be evaluated for high-functioning autism. This doesn’t surprise me, either. I can go on and on about the anxiety I have and the rituals I like to perform, but that would take more time than I have. If you’ve known me over the years, I bet you can see patterns now that I mention it.
School. It has been hell. I signed up for 12 credit hours of classes during the eight-week summer semester. It was brutal, but I did maintain my 4.0 GPA. I just finished my fall semester. I was upset that I got a B in my organizational management class. He was a hard grader. That being said, I am still on track to graduate in May. If I get another 4.0 for the semester, I should graduate summa cum laude.
In retrospect, it wasn’t a bad year. It is a year I would like to leave in the rear-view mirror. I learned a lot about the kind of people in the world, and it’s disheartening. It is disheartening that people are so blinded by their beliefs that they cannot find compassion, understanding, or tolerance. I will aim to be a more compassionate and accepting human being.
Just a few pictures from 2022:
Filthy Casual for Life 