2014: An Incredible Chapter

   

   Where to begin? Less than an hour ago, I had the unique opportunity to ring a massive bell at an 800-year-old Buddisht temple near my house and literally ring-in the new year. I’ve been wanting to do that for a few years now, and I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to say thank you and goodbye to one of the most incredible years of my life. What took me so long to go? 

   2014 was extraordinary in a number of unique ways which I will always cherish. First and foremost, it was a year in which my two children have not only grown up before my eyes at an incredible rate, but have also allowed me to feel incomparable joy. It was a year in which my daughter took her first steps, called me “Daddy,” used the toilet, and even sang part of the “Let it go” song… among other things. In addition, it was a year in which my son clearly developed a love for girls, cars, dinosaurs, food, sports, Christmas, Canada, and music. Not bad for a handsome little dude who turned three less than a month ago. 

   2014 was also the year in which I had the chance to take my family to Vancouver for the first time ever, introduce them to some of the many people that I love, and show them many of the places that helped shaped me into who I am today. Fortunately, it wasn’t only in winter that I was able to show them Vancouver; a summer trip was also in order - my first one in five years, and the unique opportunity to see my brother marry the love of his life by being one of his Best-men at the altar. 

   What made things even better was the fact that it was also a year in which both my brother and his beautiful wife (fiancé at the time) were able to come to Japan for the first time. Though their visit to Tsuruga was literally 24 hrs long, it was long enough to let them have a glimpse of the life I had built here over the last five years. Their timing couldn’t have been more appropriate given that I was starting to go through the motions of making the necessary changes needed to reinvent myself and what I intend to do here. 

   Indeed, 2014 was the last grain of sand inside the 5-year-sandclock which had allowed me to make a living in Japan. It was a period of transtition with a certain degree of incertitude and fear of not really knowing what came next. Nevertheless, as a chapter began to close, it wasn’t long before the pieces needed for my vision to become a reality began to come together. Options were weighted on, tradeoffs were taken into account, and in the end… everything just clicked.

   In many ways, 2014 gave me the opportunity to finally begin to see myself as the tree I’ve always longed to become. A tree which from a very early stage had always known that in the East is where it needed to be. It’s been a long-time coming, and a lot of lessons have inevitably had to be learned, but the last few months have allowed me to feel ready to let the roots grow deeper into the steady ground. I feel content and at ease with the marvelous views this place provides, as well as the rich and fertile soil of its surroundings. I can finally say that I now see a a lot more of the big picture, and that I truly believe in how bright it looks from here. 

   Lastly, and perhaps most significantly, 2014 was a year which allowed my wife and I to leave the safety of the harbour behind, and ship out into the unknown (beyond the transition period) by starting our own businness - a place of learning in which we both truly believe in. A place which in just four months has received an incredible response from people of all ages and professions. A place that has allowed us to see more than ever before just how much a student can grow and who it is he/she might one day become. A place that has allowed me to experience how glorious it is to feel free from a lot of bullshit. A place with the freedom to do things as I best see them fit. To do them with more passion, more dedication and a lot more love. To do them for the sake of doing them, regardless of whether or not there’s an audience looking on.

   In short, 2014 was a year which showed me the inexhaustible potential we each have to take matters into our own hands and carry on moving forward. A year which showed that it’s okay to be who YOU want to be, rather than what someone else wants you to be. It was a year which showed me that sometimes you gotta take big risks and be a little crazy. And finally, 2014 was a year which taught me that the most important thing in life has little to do with what you do for a living, and everything to do with how it is you live it. 

   May 2015 be a year with just enough… of everything. A year in which you get to do more, explore more, learn more, think more, quesiton more, thank more, love more, and BE more. I hope it’s a year in which you wait less, and simply try to be more present. 

From Japan with love:

明けましておめでとうごだいます。