Reflecting on 2024

Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Strength, Growth, and Gratitude

As 2024 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year that has tested me in ways I never imagined. When I chose “strength” as my word for the2024 year, I had no idea how fitting it would become. It’s easy to embrace a word like strength when life is smooth and predictable, but this year demanded a level of resilience and fortitude that I didn’t know I had.

Looking back, 2024 has been a whirlwind of emotions, challenges, and growth. It was a year of heartbreak, milestones, and unexpected trials. Through it all, I’ve learned profound lessons about myself, about life, and about the power of gratitude—even in the hardest of times.

Navigating a Life-Altering Transition

The year began with one of the most difficult decisions of my life: the end of my marriage. Divorce is never easy, and this experience was no exception. It brought with it a flood of emotions—grief, fear, anger, and, eventually, acceptance.

There were moments when I questioned my ability to handle the weight of it all. Divorce feels like a ripping apart of a life you’ve built, leaving you to pick up the pieces and redefine your path. Yet, as the months passed, I began to see glimpses of my own strength. I learned how to navigate the uncertainty, find solace in small victories, and build a new foundation for myself and my children.

Through this, I discovered that strength is not about never breaking; it’s about finding the courage to rebuild after you’ve been broken. It’s about standing up, even when you feel like staying down. This was the first of many lessons that “strength” would teach me this year.

Letting Go: Sending My Son on His Mission

In March,, I faced another significant milestone: sending my son to Brazil on a two-year mission for our church. As a parent, you know the day will come when your children will leave the nest, but that knowledge doesn’t make the reality any easier. Watching him embark on this journey was both heartbreaking and beautiful.

There was pride in seeing him take such a bold step in his faith and personal growth, but also a deep sense of loss as I adjusted to his absence. The quiet moments at home felt emptier without his laughter and energy. However, this experience also deepened my understanding of love and sacrifice. Letting go is one of the hardest acts of love, but it’s also one of the most profound.

In the process, I leaned heavily on my own strength and faith, finding comfort in the knowledge that he was pursuing something meaningful and transformative. I’ve learned that strength is not just about enduring challenges; it’s about supporting others as they face their own.

A Mother’s Worst Fear: My Daughter’s Injury

As the year drew to a close, another unexpected challenge rocked our family. My 16-year-old daughter suffered a severe injury, breaking her back in a ski accident. As a mother, there is nothing worse than seeing your kids suffer in pain. The days following her injury were filled with a hospital stay over Christmas, lots of pain, lots of tears, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She is a wrestler and works so hard all the time, and It’s been heartbreaking to see her overwhelmed with sadness as she misses out on her sophomore year. 

Yet, through this ordeal, I witnessed a resilience in her that inspired me to be even stronger. Watching her tackle her recovery with determination reminded me that strength is often born out of necessity. It’s about showing up, even when the odds feel insurmountable.

Caring for her during this time pushed me to limits I didn’t know I had. It tested my patience, my endurance, and my ability to balance everything else in life. But it also reinforced how deeply love and strength are intertwined. When someone you love is hurting, you find reserves of strength you didn’t know existed.

Lessons in Resilience

Each of these experiences—the divorce, my son’s departure, and my daughter’s injury—taught me something profound about resilience. Resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship; it’s about facing it head-on and finding a way through. It’s about adapting, growing, and continuing forward, even when the path is steep and rocky.

I’ve learned that resilience is built in the small, everyday choices we make. It’s in choosing to get out of bed when grief weighs you down. It’s in showing up for your children when your own heart is aching. It’s in finding moments of laughter and joy, even when life feels overwhelming.

Gratitude in the Hardest of Times

Perhaps the most unexpected lesson of 2024 was the way my gratitude deepened in the face of hardship. When life is hard, the small blessings become so much more precious. I’ve found immense gratitude in the little things: a kind word from a friend, a moment of laughter with my kids, the strength to face another day.

Gratitude has been my anchor this year. It has reminded me to focus on what I have, rather than what I’ve lost. It has helped me see the beauty in the midst of pain and the light in the darkest moments. Gratitude doesn’t erase the challenges, but it gives them context. It reminds us that even in the hardest times, there is goodness to be found.

I am grateful for the lessons this year has taught me. I am grateful for the love and support of those around me. I am grateful for my children, who continue to inspire me every day. And I am grateful for the strength that 2024 has uncovered within me.

Looking Ahead

As I step into 2025, I do so with a renewed sense of purpose and resilience. The word “strength” has carried me through this year, and it will remain a guiding force as I continue to navigate life’s twists and turns. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know this: I am stronger than I ever imagined, and I am surrounded by blessings that make the journey worthwhile.

To anyone listening to this who is facing their own challenges, know that you are stronger than you think. Strength doesn’t mean having it all together; it means continuing to move forward, one step at a time. And in those moments when life feels unbearably hard, remember to look for the blessings. They are there, waiting to be discovered, even in the darkest of times.

Here’s to a new year filled with hope, growth, and gratitude. May we all find the strength to face whatever comes our way and the grace to cherish the good along the journey.