Yes indeed, tomorrow, September 23rd, I will be 24. Not really a “big one”, but another birthday and another year. I’m notorious for not handling birthdays very well, I tend to become overly nostalgic, crying and panicking about where all the time has gone. Even as a young child, I would habitually destroy my own birthday party throwing tantrums as only a simultaneously attention hungry and self-conscious aging toddler can do. There will hopefully be none of that tomorrow. Mostly because there can’t be, I have work and school and I don’t think tantrums are tolerated in proposal meetings or marketing lectures.
Although 24 isn’t what I previously labeled as a “big one”, I did put special weight on 23 as it was my golden year. It seems like this concept of “golden year” isn’t as widespread as I initially believed. In fact, I’m not totally sure where I got it in the first place, but since I was little, I looked forward to my 23rd birthday as my golden year. For anyone who still isn’t following, what makes the year golden is the correlation between birthday and age. September 23rd + 23 = Magic. Right? Well, at least significantish?
A year ago I pondered the weight of the year ahead of me. What would this “golden year” have in store? There was plenty of room for improvement, I was unemployed, D. was away working for the campaign and my lease in Denver was rapidly running out. I was definitely lacking purpose and my options seemed a little slim. That’s not to say that I was itching to leave Denver - or that I was even aware that I would ultimately do so, but my life was ripe for change. AND CHANGE IT DID! (okay - all caps was way too overdramatic for that statement) And change, it did. I am employed and have been consistently since moving to D.C., D. is not only here with me, but we are getting married and we have a new house in a new city in a new state. My purpose might still be a little undefined, but I’m working on it with school added back into the mix. I would call these developments major and this year, pivotal. Yes, rah rah me, but in a time of reflection I am so happy looking back on all this year has brought.
There you have it. Now, 24, another year - not “golden” but certainly one that won’t disappoint. Next year I will be married, I will be half way through my masters program and far more familiar with my new home - which won’t be so new! I’m looking forward to every moment.
Yep, sappy, nostalgic, dramatic, definitely a birthday appropriate post.
