It is a tradition on the occasion of New Year's in Spain to consume 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, one for each month of the year, for good luck and prosperity in the new year.
Some years ago, my Abuela adopted this tradition for family gathering on New Year's occasion: Each person present ate 12 grapes in recognition of something notable that happened during the outgoing year, and a hope for the incoming year.
I delight greatly in this tradition, and have done it with my family foursome as well.
And I do it now on this blog post, reflecting on 2013 as it draws to a close. Yesterday, I wrote a post reflecting on big news event in 2013. Today, I reflect on events in my personal life. There's a lot that happened during 2013, and it simply isn't possible to cover it all, in this blog post or otherwise. So I'm using 12 "grapes" to guide my reflections on this year, each representing something notable that happened, roughly one for each month.
Grape #1, trip to the AMS Meeting in Austin, TX: This was an extraordinary opportunity that helped me get started right engaging in the world of meteorology professionals, not to mention the first opportunity I had to experience what the grand state of Texas has to offer, and to go on a long-distance Amtrak trip.
Grape #2, portraying Senator Marco Rubio: We did a lot of interesting assignments in my Spanish class during my last semester at ValpU. It was a thrill for this assignment to portray such a brilliant man as Marco Rubio, not to mention watching his great address in response to President Obama's State of the Union Address that same month, which inspired this idea of mine.
Grape #3, the mission/service trip to St. Augustine Mission in Winnebago, NE: This was an incredible experience of a lifetime, for my first time being on a trip of this nature, as I thrust myself into service for the community at the mission, and getting to know them on a deep level, in addition to the bonding with those in my group.
Grape #4, my presentation at the Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship: This was an exciting opportunity as my college years drew to a close to present a great project I had worked on freshmen year, on the Confederate war monument at Oakwoods Cemetery on Chicago's Southeast Side.
Grape #5, my graduation from Valparaiso University: This was the one thing I had to anticipate about this year far ahead of time. The festivities were a great way to cap off this most extraordinary experience of my life, and revel in finally returning home. It also marked the beginning of my status as a ValpU alumnus, and it's been great to engage with this status, in making visits back to ValpU and being part of alumni functions.
Grape #6, my little counsin Ava's birth: It was so exciting to take in the "good news" of Ava's birth, especially for my cousin Greg and his wife Melissa. I delighted greatly getting to meet her in August, and then see her again in December.
Grape #7, my Great Aunt Carmen's 80th Birthday: Even though I wasn't present for the trip to Kauai, I still celebrated this milestone birthday of a absolutely wonderful woman in my own ways.
Grape #8, hosting the Ruggabers for a visit in Oak Park: It was a distinct pleasure to welcome these the dearly beloved people to the place where I grew up, and have them spend some time here, especially showing them around.
Grape #9, Living Your Strengths Workshop: This was a great opportunity to take a step back and ponder what my strengths are, and how I can engage them to be a better person, for myself, and for others.
Grape #10, trip to the NWA Meeting in North Charleston, SC: This was another excellent opportunity to engage with professionals in meteorology, and experience South Carolina for the first time, and to go on a long-distance Amtrak trip, which included a wonderful time in Washington, DC, during layovers there and back.
Grape #11, the Silver Jubilee Mass of St. Martin de Porres Parish: It was great to join this community in celebration of their milestone, already having a connection with them by being a member of a sharing parish.
Grape #12, Wreaths Across America: It was a distinct pleasure to participate in this project honoring our veterans at their final resting place, and to do so for my own grandfather.
Now, that's 12 grapes, but I'm going to add another one since this is 2013, to address some odds and ends that don't necessarily fit into one month:
Grape #13, volunteer activites: Despite not finding full-time employment yet, I am glad that I had opportunity to participate in many other volunteer efforts, which I revel in. I helped clear invasive plants out of the Chicago Portage woods with the Friends of the Chicago Portage. I helped bring in money for the wonderful Chicago institution WTTW-PBS during two different pledge drives. I also took up other causes: I joined in pro-life demonstrations with Pro-Life Action League. In addition, I stood up for marriage between one man and one woman at Illinois Family Institute's Defend Marriage Lobby Day in Springfield. Event though homosexual marriage was legalized in Illinois, I can say from personal experience that it didn't go without a fight. And I engaged with my faith in exciting new ways: I helped out in numerous ways in Ascension Parish's religious education program, teaching a RE class, and facilitating activities for the Confirmation students. I became involved in other ways at my home parish, taking up the liturgical ministries of thurifer and communion minister.
So that's an appetizer of the happenings in my life during 2013. Looking back at this point, I feel that this was one of the biggest years of my life, in large part because of my graduation, and the trips I took, especially the two toward the beginning of the year, speak greatly to why this was one of the biggest years of my life. Those trip also really added the mileage I covered, with 3600 miles traveled as of April alone, and probably over 6000 by now.
So as I say goodbye to 2013, these things and more are on my mind as I give thanks to God for this year.
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