Thanks, old friend (2009)

As I sit here clad in the dust and glitter of last night's new year's celebration, I want to express my gratitude to someone before I fall asleep.

You came into my life in January last year and saw me through a number of things.

You told me to finally shape up and finish my Licentiate thesis - and I did.

You told me to dream big, let go of my hang-ups and for the first time dare to make a move, to another country. You told me I was ready to go and see what else there was for me. And I was.

You saw me through the frustrations it took to do that in parallel with organizing a move, renting out my home, getting through reams of red tape to get that working permit and at the same time giving family and friends the quality time they deserved before I left.

You slyly sweet-talked and coached me into saying yes to the scariest thing I've ever been offered - the love of someone I loved back. And it was wonderful.

You made my landing soft and placed me in a cozy house near the lake with five lovely roommates (over time) and a superbly cool landlady who all made my stay comforting and relaxed.

You let me get to know my new home town Toronto quickly and easily, with the help of a bike and all my fantastic new friends and co-workers.

You let me share the city with several wonderful friends from home who all got me to see parts of the city in a new light.

You let me share my new home for a week with my love, so that the city was no longer just my little fantasy bubble, but a memory that included us both.

You made me change my mind for the better and come back home to Sweden for my aunt's wedding (by the sea, on a beautiful summer day in August).

You placed me in the hands of a warm and loving community of tap dancers who have given me a warm welcome and so much support, encouragement and inspiration.

You let me interview, in-depth, a great number of people who are trying to implement the things I do research about in The Real World. I've learned more from these talks than ever in my time as a PhD student.

You let me end the year by joining my family and all my warm and boisterous relatives in LA for the holidays.

You seasoned the whole experience with a constant stream of back-and-forth assurances across the sea, between him and me, that I have something tremendous, awesome and lovely to come home to.

And just like that, you were gone.

Thanks 2009, for everything. I'll never forget you.