Closer to 30

Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 26 and I have to say I'm not sure how I feel about it. There are so many things I have yet to accomplish or points in my life I thought would be complete by now. As a young girl around the age of 10 or so you have big dreams for yourself. You think by the time you're 25 you would be married with a couple of kids and your career on the go. Not so much. And so, as I speed past 25 I realize none of these things that little girls dream of are even close within my grasp.
I'm not married. Not even close. Not even a proposal looming. And I'm in no rush.
I don't have kids. I'm not a mother. But let's face it, that's probably a good thing at this point in my life.
And definitely no career started yet. I can't wait to be a full time teacher someday but who knows how long that will take! It's not exactly in high demand right now. I am instead a student.

A long time ago, in high school I made a pact with my friend Billy. We share the same birthday - and I am exactly an hour older. He's my oldest friend...since birth, literally! Our pact started as a marriage one but from what I can remember it morphed into a children pact. We said if neither of us was married or had kids by the time we reached 30, he would father my children. (Don't worry Jamie...it's stricty through artificial insemination!) I love the guy, but he's like my brother. Yuck. This pact was laughable when I was 16, but now 10 years later (wow!) it's slowly creeping up on me. We may have to renew and rewrite some of those terms.

As people so lovingly tell me, I am now closer to 30 than 20. Somewhere along the way, those little girl dreams have changed from marriage, kids, career into something else. I have a bucket list for myself, and although those things are included on it. There are about 30 other things that are unrelated to the traditional dreams. But as I've said before, age is merely a number. And I don't feel 26. I'm told I don't look 26. Even though I'm slowly starting to notice some laugh lines. (I'm not so against botox anymore).

There are some things I am sure of. I will ineveitably get older and those laugh lines will deepen. But, I'm also sure there is so much more to life than living for what is 'supposed to be'. I'm sure these things will happen for me someday, but I'm in no rush. I'm enjoying living in the moment and making the most of what I have now. And what I have is no money and no job...but I've got great family and friends. Even some that would make a very generous donation....


PS...Just a little update on my no eating fast food. It's been 2 weeks and I'm proud to say I have not faltered! (Although I don't include Subway or Tim Horton's under the fast food category).