Let's say a Better Bye to 2024
#Did we survive or Live?

Sometimes we take our days for granted. Sometimes, it's weeks. Other times, it's months. And then, there are times we take our years for granted.
As this year flies by, there are some facts and figures we shouldn’t overlook.
First of all, congratulations to all of us!
We survived 2024. You must have seen many people pass away this year—maybe even people dear to you. But you, me, us—we survived.
This is what we need to reflect upon:
Did we survive another year, or did we truly live it?
- If this year we didn’t learn to forgive, trust me—we only survived.
- If this year we didn’t learn to make others smile, even when we were hurting inside—we merely survived.
- If this year we looked down on others for having less money than us—we should question why we survived at all.
- If we didn’t learn from our mistakes this year, then making it to the end of 2024 was a mistake itself.
- If someone cried in pain because of us—why did we even survive?
- If we didn’t learn from our struggles and failures this year, we can’t say we “lived” it.
- And lastly:
If we held onto the old belief that true happiness and peace come from putting ourselves above others—rather than finding joy in someone else’s smile—then we didn’t live this year. We merely survived.
But I love this saying:
"It's never too late until it's over."
And it’s not over yet. Take a moment for yourself. Think about 2024—what it was like for you. What "wrongs" still seek to be "right"? Reflect on the mistakes you made, the ones you wish you hadn’t.
This is the perfect time to grab a pen and paper, to write down your year in reflection.
As this year comes to a close, place your hand on your heart, close your eyes, and ask yourself:
- Is there anyone still in pain because of me?
If your heart says, "No," trust me—you lived this year.
- Is there anyone I helped during their worst time this year?
If the answer is "Yes," you’ve won the year.
- Is there anything I can still fix but haven’t yet?
If the answer is "Yes," it means your heart is soft and filled with love. Your soul wants to clear things for the better.
And lastly, ask your heart:
- Am I a bucking idiot?
If your heart giggles and so does your mouth, trust me—you’re beautiful inside.
We’ve got four days left until we turn one year older. Take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself these questions. Did you merely survive this year, or did you actually live it?
.
Author's note:
Here's a thing...
How about you write and upload your thoughts about the past year you've spent... It'll help you feel better... ❤️🩹
And what shall we do or can do to make 2025 better?
You can write it with the subtitle "#Let's say a Better Bye to 2024 "...
Please don't forget to let me know, if you do so! I'd love to read your thoughts... ☺️
About the Creator
Maryam Batool
I'm 17
I'm a storyteller who loves poems, fiction, and romance. Creativity is my constant companion. I take joy in turning thoughts into worlds. Writing is my way of exploring life and connecting with others
Ready to let my writing bloom!
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Comments (9)
I saw this come up in my notifications when you published it and then forgot to read it lol, sorry. But, back again after reading Calvin's response and can see what motivated him to write his awesome piece. I love everything about this, Maryam. It's very reflective of your attitude as a writer and commenter on this platform. The positivity is there, in bucketloads. I also love the subtle way you make reference to the lesser goods we may have taken part in and the way you highlight that we should not overlook them but learn from them. Well done on this and for getting through 2024 with a positive attitude and it's been great reading some of your stuff over the last few months and I will be doing more reading in the coming weeks and year!
The personal tone and heartfelt advice make this piece relatable and inspiring. It's a perfect reminder that our actions and choices define our experience of life, urging us to strive for genuine connections and meaningful moments.
Lol, let's get my unhinged replies rolling in! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 "We survived 2024. You must have seen many people pass away this year—maybe even people dear to you. But you, me, us—we survived." You're speaking too soon. There's still a few days left this year. I could die before that 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 "If this year we didn’t learn to forgive, trust me—we only survived." Yea, forgiveness ain't my thing. I don't even forgive myself, lol. I may not forgive but I still give people and myself more chances to disappoint me 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 "If this year we didn’t learn to make others smile, even when we were hurting inside—we merely survived." I do this all the time but I wish I didn't. I put other's needs above mine, always. I wanna learn to prioritise myself. It sucks being a pathological people pleaser 😅😅 "If this year we looked down on others for having less money than us—we should question why we survived at all." I have never and would never do that. Looking down on others cannot be justified for any reason "If we didn’t learn from our mistakes this year, then making it to the end of 2024 was a mistake itself." Alrighty then, please excuse me while I go kill myself 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 "If someone cried in pain because of us—why did we even survive?" I didn't see them cry but I'm pretty sure my parents did "If we didn’t learn from our struggles and failures this year, we can’t say we “lived” it." If I have to learn, I don't wanna learn from struggles, failures, hardship, etc. Just gimme a better method to learn 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 "Is there anyone still in pain because of me?" Probably my ex boyfriend. Well I hope he's still in pain 😈😈 "Is there anyone I helped during their worst time this year?" Oh yes, I definitely did! "Is there anything I can still fix but haven’t yet?" Yes, I'm still alive. I gotta fix that 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Am I a bucking idiot? I'M THE BIGGEST ONE THERE IS 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Did we live this year—or just survive? This question inspires us to delve into the depth and meaningful exploration of our experiences. It encourages us to evaluate the quality of our moments rather than simply counting the days. Your thoughts are not only pure but also fundamental and extremely essential for understanding our personal journeys. As each year passes, we cherish the wisdom and insights gained through our successes and challenges. It’s crucial to pause and reflect on what we’ve learned and how we’ve grown, ensuring our lives are filled with purpose and intention, rather than merely following a routine. Thank you, dear sister, for sharing these thought-provoking reflections with us. Your words inspire us to live our lives more deeply and treasure the lessons that come with each passing year.🙏✨🤝☺
This was a very necessary post Maryam for the final ending to the year! Bye-bye 2024, hello 2025! ⭐️
Bye-Bye!
Such a thoughtful piece, Maryam! Love how it makes us stop and really think—did we live this year, or just survive? ✨ Perfect way to wrap up 2024 and get ready for a fresh start in 2025!👏🤞
Thank you Batool GOODBYE 2024 AND HELLO 2025
Thank you for this reflective piece on 2024. It was a year of acceptance and continuing to move forward.