Birthday Tirade

Today is my birthday!  I'm twenty-seven now, and pretty darn happy about it.  About a month ago, a friend asked me how I felt to be turning this age, and I hadn't really thought about what it meant until that moment.  At first, I admit, I was a little panic stricken.  I thought "holy crap, I'm getting pretty darn close to thirty" and then I freaked out.  I imagined that I needed to cram in a marriage and kids in the next three years because, for some reason, in my mind kids before thirty is the way to go.  I put all this undue pressure on myself to live my life in a way that conforms to what I THINK reality should be like and man, it sure stresses me out.   So I wasted a few days or so in a zombie-like trance where all I could think of was babies and weddings and how I was running out of time.  And then I snapped out of it.

I'm twenty-seven.  I've got a great job, I'm about to get my degree in something that I really love, I have a phenomenal boyfriend and we live in a beautiful house in the country.   I'm able to buy things that I want or need, make great dinners, spend time with friends and family (and all their cute babies), and also spend time on myself.  Since I've been trying hard to take care of my body, I've felt pretty darn great about myself.  I'm proud of my shape and who I've become.  I have confidence in myself at work and in life and damnit, I'm awesome.  Yes, I still have some issues to overcome, such as student loan debt, but in general, my life is pretty fantastic.

Once I sat down and thought about all the things in my life that are great, I realized that it's silly for me to try and fit my life into a strict schedule that I've made up for everyone else, not myself.  Sure, someday I want kids, but I'm not ready now.  I'm having way too much fun to worry about that eventuality.  I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever felt as good as I do right now, twenty-seven years old and all.

For those of you that are nearing the dreaded 'thirty' milestone like I am, don't sweat it.  Age doesn't have to mean what you've been taught to think it means.  As long as you're happy, you'll feel young for as long as you want!

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