Parang meh house

"Look in the mirror, that's your competition."

Determined. One word that I chose to sum up 2015. There was a lot of firsts that happened this year and for that I am grateful. I am still trying to figure out where exactly time went, as it seemed like just yesterday that I was at home in my parents house in our corner of The Bahamas constructing my year in review for 2014 while my mother made tea and offered homemade bread as Christmas hymns played softly in the background.

Another year is making haste to end and as it stands I will be closing it out and ringing in the New Year  in Trinidad and Tobago. Rather than sweet Junkanoo music on the radio, it's Parang and Soca. I will admit I am doing my best to enjoy the culture as I reflect on 2015.

The photo that adorns this post, is from when I ran my first half marathon in Rochester, Minnesota on May 27th 2012-a year before my medical school journey began. Preparing for that race and my feelings during it is the closest comparison of what this year was like.   You see, when you have 13.1 miles to run, it truly is mind over matter.

January 2015 found me hyped, I mean I was ready (similarly as I was on race day). I had survived Respiration and Central Nervous System blocks the previous semester and I was ready to take on all what this next semester and last of second year would bring. My family, personal friends and fellow classmates were all enthused that we were still in the race.

The semester ended, I celebrated my 30th birthday with a day of "high-tea" and ice-cream and I had a summer of research to complete, Vacation Bible School to volunteer at and books to read at my leisure which was a rare commodity during the hustle and bustle of the school year.

In what seemed to be a wink of an eye, I was back in school preparing for Research Day, trying to juggle around the clock studying with classes and clerkships; and before I realized it, my first semester of third year was over.

Now here I am. Still determined as I was on January 1st, 2015 however my overall outlook and approach has shifted. While the parang rings out, despite my weariness after such a tiresome semester I am beyond grateful for the opportunities that presented themselves for me to let go of pride, to speak out against things that made me uncomfortable and allowed me to take a closer look at myself in the mirror-at the end of the day, it is myself who I am competing with. There was a lot of shedding done this year and that's alright too. The future is bright and God is ever merciful.

Have you done any reflecting? What have you found out about yourself? Was 2015 your year? I would love to hear how 2015 shaped you. 2016 is right around the corner, let's all challenge ourselves to be a little more determined and to constantly check in with God to ensure we're living His purpose driven life.