Reason #559
I know I sound like a broken record sometimes because I always say the same thing at the end and beginning of every month, but is it just me or did August show up really quickly this year? I mean seriously, I can't believe that Christmas is now 4 months away. I can't believe that 2013 will be over in 4 months. Really, this year has to have been one of the fastest years of my life. But, like they say, time flies when you're having fun.
I see people's personal information everyday, and I always note their birthdays for some strange reason. If they have a birthday that is relatively soon, or one that has just passed, I always comment about it. I either wish them a late happy birthday or try to drum up excitement about their upcoming birthday. And I'm always surprised how many people either dread having a birthday or act like it really doesn't even matter. Not me. You better believe that I get excited every August 6, even if the number just keeps growing.
I think the thing that we dislike about birthdays is that fact that we've used up another year of life. A year we will never get back. And so in a way, there is some loss. Currently, I have realized a loss of flexibility and skin elasticity. I'm not kidding. I have definitely noticed that my body is not unfolding itself so easy these days and the pillow lines in my face seem to last a good bit into the morning. Anyway, I suppose with every year we live we experience some sort of loss. But on the flip side of that, with every year we live we experience so much gain. New friends, new opportunities, new experiences, wisdom, knowledge, and more memories. And with each year of life we have another chance to keep adding to the list.
I turned 25 last year, which is a big birthday in my book. A quarter of a century. Mid-twenties mean you have fully arrived as an adult, or so I thought. I imagined by 25 that my life would look significantly different than it did. I imagined that when people turn 25 they feel very put together and accomplished. I thought that 25 year olds were settled and knew where they were going in life. I didn't realize that most people in their mid-twenties often forget that they aren't teenagers anymore. In fact, this became even more of a reality to me a few weeks ago when I was visiting with a cute little co-worker of mine. I could have sworn she and I were very close to the same age. At least, when I looked at her I felt like we were in the same age group. I asked her when she graduated high school and she said, "last year." That's right, I am 7 years older than her. When I graduated high school, she was finishing elementary school. I wonder if she thought we looked the same age?
Well, regardless of whether or not we like it, birthdays come around every year. And sure, they are a little harder as the number grows because you realize that life is passing quickly. Maybe, if you're like me, you kind of panic because you haven't achieved certain things by certain ages. Or maybe you see it as a year that you lost. A year that you wish you could take back but you can't. But maybe when we look at our birthdays we should thank the Lord for not only allowing us the previous year, but for giving us another full year to add good things to our list. Because even if the previous year didn't go as expected, we've got a new year to get it right. Another year to make it better. Another opportunity to change our lives and experience new things.
Last August seemed like it was just yesterday. Last August I was beginning to fall in love with a guy I had just met. Last August, I was going through a major career change and learning to live by myself. Last August I was starting a new Sunday school class, making a ton of new friends, and telling myself that 25 was going to be the best year of my life. It had to be to make up for the year before because if I could have one of those years to take back, it would be 24. If could wipe away just one year from my history, it would be that one. But I'm thankful that even during that year, the Lord blessed me with wisdom and knowledge. The He held me close, sheltered me in His wings, and lavished me with love. And I'm thankful that 25 was better than I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams. This would be the year to re-live, no doubt. But I have 5 more days left. Five more days of my mid-twenties, and then a new year begins for me. Who knows what it will hold. Who knows if it will be full of more ups or downs. Who know what I will achieve, learn, or experience. But I'm ready to take it on. Ready for another year of life. Another year to grow, to be challenged, to be changed, and to enjoy as much as I possibly can. Because I'm sure it'll seem like mere days before I find myself recapping year 26, and truthfully, I'm pretty excited to see what God is going to do with this year!
#559 - Because He gives us previous years to live and learn, and new years to experience and enjoy.
"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 8:15
I see people's personal information everyday, and I always note their birthdays for some strange reason. If they have a birthday that is relatively soon, or one that has just passed, I always comment about it. I either wish them a late happy birthday or try to drum up excitement about their upcoming birthday. And I'm always surprised how many people either dread having a birthday or act like it really doesn't even matter. Not me. You better believe that I get excited every August 6, even if the number just keeps growing.
I think the thing that we dislike about birthdays is that fact that we've used up another year of life. A year we will never get back. And so in a way, there is some loss. Currently, I have realized a loss of flexibility and skin elasticity. I'm not kidding. I have definitely noticed that my body is not unfolding itself so easy these days and the pillow lines in my face seem to last a good bit into the morning. Anyway, I suppose with every year we live we experience some sort of loss. But on the flip side of that, with every year we live we experience so much gain. New friends, new opportunities, new experiences, wisdom, knowledge, and more memories. And with each year of life we have another chance to keep adding to the list.
I turned 25 last year, which is a big birthday in my book. A quarter of a century. Mid-twenties mean you have fully arrived as an adult, or so I thought. I imagined by 25 that my life would look significantly different than it did. I imagined that when people turn 25 they feel very put together and accomplished. I thought that 25 year olds were settled and knew where they were going in life. I didn't realize that most people in their mid-twenties often forget that they aren't teenagers anymore. In fact, this became even more of a reality to me a few weeks ago when I was visiting with a cute little co-worker of mine. I could have sworn she and I were very close to the same age. At least, when I looked at her I felt like we were in the same age group. I asked her when she graduated high school and she said, "last year." That's right, I am 7 years older than her. When I graduated high school, she was finishing elementary school. I wonder if she thought we looked the same age?
Well, regardless of whether or not we like it, birthdays come around every year. And sure, they are a little harder as the number grows because you realize that life is passing quickly. Maybe, if you're like me, you kind of panic because you haven't achieved certain things by certain ages. Or maybe you see it as a year that you lost. A year that you wish you could take back but you can't. But maybe when we look at our birthdays we should thank the Lord for not only allowing us the previous year, but for giving us another full year to add good things to our list. Because even if the previous year didn't go as expected, we've got a new year to get it right. Another year to make it better. Another opportunity to change our lives and experience new things.
Last August seemed like it was just yesterday. Last August I was beginning to fall in love with a guy I had just met. Last August, I was going through a major career change and learning to live by myself. Last August I was starting a new Sunday school class, making a ton of new friends, and telling myself that 25 was going to be the best year of my life. It had to be to make up for the year before because if I could have one of those years to take back, it would be 24. If could wipe away just one year from my history, it would be that one. But I'm thankful that even during that year, the Lord blessed me with wisdom and knowledge. The He held me close, sheltered me in His wings, and lavished me with love. And I'm thankful that 25 was better than I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams. This would be the year to re-live, no doubt. But I have 5 more days left. Five more days of my mid-twenties, and then a new year begins for me. Who knows what it will hold. Who knows if it will be full of more ups or downs. Who know what I will achieve, learn, or experience. But I'm ready to take it on. Ready for another year of life. Another year to grow, to be challenged, to be changed, and to enjoy as much as I possibly can. Because I'm sure it'll seem like mere days before I find myself recapping year 26, and truthfully, I'm pretty excited to see what God is going to do with this year!
#559 - Because He gives us previous years to live and learn, and new years to experience and enjoy.
"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 8:15
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