A Year in the Life of One Catherine Leas

One Catherine Leas reflects at the end of each year on all the things she thought she would do with the 365 odd days that fill the waning year. She knows she will be lucky to achieve her goals for the year–never 100%, always valuable.

The first remarkable year in her life was 1986. She was 5. She made paper chains and hats from construction paper. She dug tunnels on the beach and her blonde hair sailed in the ocean breeze. It was Christmas at Pajaro Beach, California. The pictures show a happy girl; “Quintessential Katie” she calls herself. There was shiny red garland left to make her think Santa Clause had found her in her condo by the sea. She knew the truth, but she played along.

Years followed; up and down life traveled. Catherine grew. Unfortunately, she grew horizontally too.

The second remarkable year in the life of Catherine Leas was 1997. She was 16. Beautiful and tragic both–a year that forever weights events that grew to shape the woman she became (weights, grew and shape are no accidental word choices.) This was the first full year her mother had been remarried. This was a year when she took her misery and said “no more.” She learned that her will was strong and she lost weight. She saw her dad (she hasn’t seen him since) and her brother graduated high school. She started marching band (a nerdy goal, but a goal none-the-less.) She sat vigil with her family on her grandfather’s death bed for 1 long week in September. She sank into a depression that would not ease until 3 years later when she was in college.

College. She learned how to be social. And how to take shots. It took her 5 years, and that last bit was intense, but she learned her strength.

The third remarkable year in Catherine’s life was 2005. She was 24. Enough was enough one day. She said goodbye to M&Ms and the couch and hello to salads, Subway, and the North Kansas City Community Center. She said goodbye to 70 pounds. (yeah, I know, wow, huh?) She wondered what color was her parachute and while she tried to figure it out, she helped weekly as a caregiver for her grandmother–recently diagnosed with dementia. She took an internship with an advertising agency and hoped to gain something valuable.

In 2006 she learned what it meant to work full-time. And she made a few mistakes along the way.

The fourth remarkable year in this one woman’s life was 2007. Remarkable indeed. She set New Year’s Resolutions times three:

1. Take a class.
2. Travel to one of those places I’ve been wanting to visit.
3. Get back into a regular workout pattern. (aka revert to healthier habits)

Well, #1 didn’t happen. Perhaps it will carry over to 2008.
#2 happened! Catherine finally went to Seattle and New Orleans (she went to Indianapolis too, but it doesn’t count because she didn’t really care.) (in 2008 her goal is to visit the east coast and Savannah, Georgia and plan a trip to Europe.)
#3, well, the regular workout pattern did not happen. She did work on her eating habits several times.

What did happen in 2007? Oh so much. 2007 was a very full year.

3 jobs–all within the same company, 1 month-long fight followed by a drunken truce, several deepened friendships, 1 meaningful kiss, a coffee table, several pairs of new shoes, art and picture frames, a new car.

Each day teaches a lesson. Each year captures who we were and who we are. I can look to each year and see how I have changed and grown. I am so different, yet still me. I won’t predict 2008, but I know where I want to go. Will I get there in 2008? Maybe not, but it could be another remarkable year none-the-less.

Be Sociable, Share!

•