Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak. Well, 2019 sure turned out as most things do. Completely different and more unexpected than I ever wanted it to be. We’ve explored all the free things to do in Denver, Morrison, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Black Hawk, Fort Collins, Louisville, Evergreen and a few other places in between. 

We’ve discovered Colorado Whiskey, craft beer and rustic bars. We’ve taken hikes in winter all the way to autumn, and I’ve even made the attempt to connect with you via my writing. Hopefully, inspired you a little along the way. Nederland Area Seniors continues to grow with a new director, Nicole Cavalino, along with new board members and a new president, Guy Falsetti. During the Holiday Mountain Market, about $8,000 was raised to support their nutritional on-site and delivery meal services. Way to go NAS! Keep up the good work!

Other things I’ve covered were special events, fitness and even allowed myself to do the one thing I never do – become vulnerable. I’ve fallen in and out of love with people, places and at times, myself. Life is interesting that way. Ups, downs, pushes and pulls. You just never know what’s next.

I would have to say that I tend to go with the flow of life, but that isn’t always easy. Not when you’re a big dreamer and your hopes, desires and wishes all live within those dreams. From time to time, it’s tempting to give up, but I have accustomed myself to know better. Giving up is never an option. Instead, I will continue pushing forward, exploring, discovering, learning and living life with an open mind. I don’t have much of a choice. Not if I want to keep up with life’s constant changes. 

We hear it all the time. The only guarantee we have is change. Change can be difficult, or it can be fun. However, that all depends on how you look at it and how much you’re willing to open yourself to it. The unknown is scary, but it can open opportunities you never thought were possible. Exploring is a great way to evolve and grow. Sometimes, when we search for adventure, change, excitement, inspiration, we end up discovering more of ourselves than anything else. So, welcome to the new year! What will you discover in 2020?

(Originally published in the January 2, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)