If you've known me for any length of time, you know that my annual Christmas letter is my favourite eccentricity. What you may not know is that throughout the year I'm thinking about how to write about various things that happen. And the last two months I've been mulling over what format this year's letter will take. I usually write it right around or right after Thanksgiving, so I'll be writing soon (one year I did an early draft at the first of November!).

I have decided this morning while on my morning walk that this year's letter will declare that my thirtieth year has been my best. Yes, I'm now going to rank 30 above 25 (the previous champ) and 4 (the previous runner-up).

Now some of you may be thinking that I have finally and completely lost it. You would think that because you've read the long agonizing e-mails, received the late night tear-filled calls, and all the other stuff that has revealed the darker sides of this last year.

But what I realized this morning is that this year I've experienced unparalleled personal growth. I've risked all and despite the year not playing out anywhere near the way I hoped it would have played out, if it had played out that way I'd not have grown. Yeah the high points have been really high and the low points have been really low, but taken together it is a year that didn't destroy me but made me stronger.

Speaking of Nietzsche, his test of a life well-lived was would you live it again with every good, bad, miserable, ecstatic, boring, painful, joyful moment. And I realized this morning that, yes, I would in fact re-live this last year with every moment.

So, thanks for sharing what may not have been the most joy-filled but definitely the best year of my life.