"It's the first anniversary of your 29th birthday." "Last year of your 20s!" "Oh man, how does it feel?" "Wow, that's scary!" "We are getting so old!"
Those are the usual aphorisms I have heard over the past few weeks as I announced my 29th birthday. I think this fear of growing older is a bit trite. Why are we afraid of aging past 29? Do we actually fear aging past our 20s or is it a cultural thing to say like "Nice weather today"? Granted, about a week after my 26th birthday, I noticed my first wrinkle and have been applying eye creams like crazy ever since. Still, I will take the age of 29 over the eternal youth of 25 any day.
I believe I owe the contentedness of getting older to a few things. First, God. I believe wholeheartedly 100 percent not a doubt in my mind in eternal life through Jesus. Thus, I don't fear death. Thus, getting older is not getting closer to death. Second, my mom and my grandmother. They both celebrate getting older with good health and good looks and much joy and happiness. And they are both much wiser than me. Based on their experience, I figure I have a lot to look forward to. Third, relationships are so much easier as you get older. The devastation of hurt relationships when I was younger is nothing I want to return to. Felt like life was over sometimes. Now, I can just acknowledge something for what it is and keep moving forward.
Simply put--life is just easier at 29 than it was at 26. I have had 3 more years to learn how to confront challenges and problems, 3 more years to learn how to find more things humorous, 3 more years to learn how to be a better friend, and 3 more years to learn how to keep learning. I did have different expectations of how I would feel at 29. Like I would have it all together and not have my mom texting me to remind me to do my taxes. That I would know how to cook a meal for more than one person. That I would be married. But none of these things have happened. According to the average life span (plus 10 for exercise and healthy life habits), I have 57 more years for all of these things to happen. Right now, I am going to enjoy all that 29 has to offer.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Trying new things and my 29th birthday
A friend once said she wanted to often try new things that scared her as a sort of "life goal".
I thought about that a lot and about how as we get older we tend to stop trying new things. We start to say, "I have never done that before" when someone asks us to do something as if never doing something before is a reason not to ever do it in the future.
It started with rock climbing. My friend said she was going so I decided to go with her. Outdoors in the rain with real rocks next to the river. Little does my friend know how scared I was to go and how many excuses I thought of not to go. But I often think about things that scare me, "If I don't do this, what else will I not do?" So, I went. It was empowering. I felt amazing. And I kept doing it even though each time I do the first climb I am totally freaked out. Since rock climbing, I have tried other new things: knitting, eating with chopsticks, bike commuting on the road with traffic, asking out a guy on a date. Plans for future new things include swing dancing, starting a non-profit, and learning chess. I don't want to not try something just because I haven't tried it yet.
I don't want to get old and rigid. There's a Regina Spektor song that says, "You're young until you're not". I will be young until I am not. Next blog: thoughts on turning 29.
I thought about that a lot and about how as we get older we tend to stop trying new things. We start to say, "I have never done that before" when someone asks us to do something as if never doing something before is a reason not to ever do it in the future.
It started with rock climbing. My friend said she was going so I decided to go with her. Outdoors in the rain with real rocks next to the river. Little does my friend know how scared I was to go and how many excuses I thought of not to go. But I often think about things that scare me, "If I don't do this, what else will I not do?" So, I went. It was empowering. I felt amazing. And I kept doing it even though each time I do the first climb I am totally freaked out. Since rock climbing, I have tried other new things: knitting, eating with chopsticks, bike commuting on the road with traffic, asking out a guy on a date. Plans for future new things include swing dancing, starting a non-profit, and learning chess. I don't want to not try something just because I haven't tried it yet.
I don't want to get old and rigid. There's a Regina Spektor song that says, "You're young until you're not". I will be young until I am not. Next blog: thoughts on turning 29.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
What's the best advice someone ever gave you?
My best friend gave me the two best pieces of advice in my life.
1. One time, I commented on how this guy I didn't care for very much always looked mad, annoyed, affected, too cool for school, and generally unpleasant. My best friend said to me, "Maybe that's how you always look to him." Since that lovely comment from my dear friend, instead of focusing on how people are acting towards me, I try to think if perhaps it is a reflection of how they perceive me. I have made a lot more friends since this fateful day.
2. As my best friend and I were crossing the Atlantic Ocean on our way to Spain/Morocco, my friend, who had a lot of time to think because in typical fashion I was able to sleep the whole way and she was wide awake, had a nature-inspired revelation that I think about a lot. She noticed how beautiful the clouds were but also thought about how they served such an important purpose in giving us water/life. She said it made her think about how God made things not only to have a function but to be beautiful. Clouds didn't have to be beautiful to serve their purpose, but they are. I suppose having purpose is important to life, but if I lose the beauty in my life for the sake of some purpose, I wonder how Godly that is.
She's a smart gal.
1. One time, I commented on how this guy I didn't care for very much always looked mad, annoyed, affected, too cool for school, and generally unpleasant. My best friend said to me, "Maybe that's how you always look to him." Since that lovely comment from my dear friend, instead of focusing on how people are acting towards me, I try to think if perhaps it is a reflection of how they perceive me. I have made a lot more friends since this fateful day.
2. As my best friend and I were crossing the Atlantic Ocean on our way to Spain/Morocco, my friend, who had a lot of time to think because in typical fashion I was able to sleep the whole way and she was wide awake, had a nature-inspired revelation that I think about a lot. She noticed how beautiful the clouds were but also thought about how they served such an important purpose in giving us water/life. She said it made her think about how God made things not only to have a function but to be beautiful. Clouds didn't have to be beautiful to serve their purpose, but they are. I suppose having purpose is important to life, but if I lose the beauty in my life for the sake of some purpose, I wonder how Godly that is.
She's a smart gal.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
daffodils
Daffodils have a tough job. They announce Springtime to the world and then continue to brightly declare it through cold, cloudy, gray, windy assault. I wish I was more like a daffodil.
Man vs. SUV
Man vs. SUV. Who wins?
I saw a man get hit on his bike today. Well, I didn't see the man get hit. I was standing next to the window in my 2nd floor apartment and heard "cruuuuunnnnch" and "Oh my God! What were you thinking!" screamed loudly and terrifically by a woman. I went to the window to see what happened. There was a bike bent in the sidewalk, a man with a blue cap sort of hopping around, a woman outside of her SUV saying "Are you okay? Are you okay?", and a pedestrian and another biker repeatedly asking the man the same question. I guessed by his complexion and his lack of response that he might not speak English. So I went out to interpret. Turns out he did not speak English. The cops showed up a few minutes later and started questioning everyone. I stood there shivering in my running clothes trying to interpret. The cops asked for ID. The man only had his work ID. They asked for his address. I could not understand what he said and he could not spell or write his street. They asked for his phone number. They asked what happened. They asked if he needed an ambulance. I asked if he was going to work. He said he had just dropped his nino off at school. I start freaking out that the man was going to get deported while his nino is in the escuela. The woman in the SUV is concerned about the man but seems more concerned about herself not getting a ticket. I want to make her pay for his bike but figure this is not okay to ask in front of the cops. The cops tell me to leave once they notice I am in shorts and a tshirt and cold. I figure it's best to do what the cops say and not try and stay to make sure justice is served. I tell the guy good luck and pray he does not get in trouble.
I hope blue-capped man does not get in trouble for dropping his son off at school and riding his bike in the crosswalk. I hope his son learns how to read and write really well. I hope the lady with the big car attempts bike commuting.
I saw a man get hit on his bike today. Well, I didn't see the man get hit. I was standing next to the window in my 2nd floor apartment and heard "cruuuuunnnnch" and "Oh my God! What were you thinking!" screamed loudly and terrifically by a woman. I went to the window to see what happened. There was a bike bent in the sidewalk, a man with a blue cap sort of hopping around, a woman outside of her SUV saying "Are you okay? Are you okay?", and a pedestrian and another biker repeatedly asking the man the same question. I guessed by his complexion and his lack of response that he might not speak English. So I went out to interpret. Turns out he did not speak English. The cops showed up a few minutes later and started questioning everyone. I stood there shivering in my running clothes trying to interpret. The cops asked for ID. The man only had his work ID. They asked for his address. I could not understand what he said and he could not spell or write his street. They asked for his phone number. They asked what happened. They asked if he needed an ambulance. I asked if he was going to work. He said he had just dropped his nino off at school. I start freaking out that the man was going to get deported while his nino is in the escuela. The woman in the SUV is concerned about the man but seems more concerned about herself not getting a ticket. I want to make her pay for his bike but figure this is not okay to ask in front of the cops. The cops tell me to leave once they notice I am in shorts and a tshirt and cold. I figure it's best to do what the cops say and not try and stay to make sure justice is served. I tell the guy good luck and pray he does not get in trouble.
I hope blue-capped man does not get in trouble for dropping his son off at school and riding his bike in the crosswalk. I hope his son learns how to read and write really well. I hope the lady with the big car attempts bike commuting.
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