Same day, 3 different years.

I found 3 different pictures, all taken on the same exact day, over the last few years.

February 17, 2012 February 17, 2013 February 17, 2014
I thought it was pretty neat to look back and compare just how different each scenario was and how, with just one year's time, things can change so much.
(Don't give me too much credit for this idea, it wasn't all mine ;)
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February 17, 2012: San Diego, California - Sunset Cliffs

Verner and I had been dating for about 7 months here - it was still very new, it felt. I remember he took me out to this spot in Point Loma so I could practice with my new camera after hours of watching Lost together. We sure did a lot of that back then, in the peak of marathon training. Long Runs followed by even longer sessions of Lost episodes. It was fantastic. Anyway, he had yet to say "The L Word" to me, but I remember we drew a heart in the sand with a "V M" inside and it made me very, very happy. ;)
February 17, 2013: Bali, Indonesia - Ubud

Here, halfway through our 6-month world travel adventures, we spent the day riding bikes through villages in Ubud, Bali. Behind us is the Batur volcano. We ate lunch right there. This was definitely one of my favorite days we had in Bali. We rode past families living in these tiny little shacks of a home, bathing in streams outside, old women walking topless (oh the freedom), and moms and dads working hard in the fields, with the sun beating down. But I just remember how happy everyone was. How the kids were so eager to shout out all the English they knew: "Hello! How are you?" Not really understanding or caring what our answer was. I remember how everything felt so surreal. It was just me and Verner, riding on these bicycles with our young tour guide named Komang. It was amazing and I felt so thankful for that eye-opening experience.
February 17, 2014: San Francisco, California

Just a week ago, I remember standing on the Golden Gate Bridge halfway through my 7 miler, and thinking, Wow. This is my home. This is my home? I'm going for an afternoon jog and I'm doing it on The Golden Freaking Gate Bridge?! Bananas. I had no idea I would live here. Even still, Verner and I will say to each other every now then, "We live in San Francisco." (We like to state the obvious sometimes.) But I mean, who knew? We were in BALI last year, San Diego before that!
I wonder where we'll be next year, February 17, 2015. Maybe San Francisco, maybe San Diego again, maybe the moon, who knows. But isn't that exciting? The not knowing? Isn't it great to think there are so many possibilities and opportunities ahead of us? Just think about where you were one year ago. A year before that. Isn't it great watching this little thing we call life pan out? I gotta tell ya, I'm really liking it. Oh yes I am.
xoxo