Birthday Musings

Earlier this week I was talking with one of my good friends about my upcoming birthday and I made the joke, "I don't know why I'm getting recognized, my mom did all the work that day!" She just smiled and said something to the effect that it wasn't about that, but more a day to celebrate that I was alive, to be glad that I was on the earth and in their lives. I found it incredibly touching and that idea has just stuck with me- went right to my heart, ya'd say.

I guess deep down I knew that, it's just sometimes important to be reminded of it - especially for someone as bashful as myself. Ever since she said that, I've made today a day not only to reflect on my experiences and achievements, but to celebrate how grateful I am to be alive. I'm so thankful for the experiences I've had in my life, both good and bad. The good ones warm my heart and make for precious memories, and the bad ones I wear like a badge of honor- grateful for the lessons and wisdom I've garnered from my mistakes and misfortunes. 

One of my favorite, probably overused phrases is "with age comes wisdom" and I'm definitely loving the age I'm at. 

Alright, alright the entire quote is:

 

“With age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone.” - Oscar Wilde

but that doesn't really drive home my point... anyways, we're off topic. 

I'm still young enough that I have the whole world ahead of me, but I'm old enough to have a better sense of priority and self-identity. Gone are those teenage years marked by insecurity and self doubt. I'm comfortable in my own skin and I'm pleased with who I am becoming. I'm at an age where I no longer care what others think about me, and have realized that only I can determine my own self worth. To me, a sense of accomplishment and happiness is what I value- and that's what I strive for. I'm sure some people might  find me a bit radical and 'hippie' with my homesteading pursuit, not understanding my desire to make my own soap, bath products, cleaning products, cheese, kefir, kombucha, vinegar, etc etc etc. But I absolutely love it and I'm so proud of myself for what I've learned to do and create with my own two hands. There is an incredible sense of self accomplishment and achievement when you create things by hand, and it's so cool that I don't have to depend on others for certain items. 

I pride myself on my honesty, sense of humor, and compassion- as I've mentioned before, what is on your inside is so much more important to me than what's on your outside. Looks fade, y'all! Don't put that much stock in them! Trust me, I'm already wondering where these wrinkles are coming from and metabolism, I miss you, please come back.

Lastly, I'm also so incredibly grateful for my friends and family. I have never, ever been a social butterfly but more someone who finds amazing people and holds tight to them- I know a good friend when I see one! I have such incredible and loving people in my life and I'm so thankful for each and every one of them. I cherish the wisdom and advice freely given by them, and I find it so interesting how various their walks of life are. I have friends in Australia, all over Europe, Canada, Africa, China, and many spread all over the U.S. Some I've seen face to face, some I haven't seen in a decade, and some I've never met in person before- but that doesn't make some any less valuable than others. This doesn't even touch base with my own family and how fortunate I am to be close to my parents, my brother and sister in law, and my grandparents and what a blessing it is that I get to see them all for my birthday. 

So today, I'm going to celebrate and cherish the love, the friendship, and experiences that my 27 years on earth have brought me. I hope to have many, many more! Thank you each and every one of you for making me feel so loved and special on my birthday- I love you all.