Tomorrow is my birthday.
I don't mind. I've always thought of each passing birthday as a blessing, and with each year comes the gift of more wisdom and more perspective. As I get older, I also find myself more comfortable in my own skin. That alone is worth so much.
So here I am at 37 years young. I've learned a lot in my 37 years, but here are 10 things I know for sure.
- Happiness is a choice. It's not something that happens when the conditions are right. I choose happiness every single day.
- Good health is a gift that should be cherished. It can be stolen away in a blink of an eye, at any age. Taking care of my body and making healthy choices is essential.
- Life is about people. Family and friends are at the center. Surround yourself with good ones. I'm a much better person because of the wonderful people around me.
- Spending time in nature always makes me feel better. When in doubt, get outside. Unplug. Breathe. Be still and listen.
- Education is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Knowledge really is power. Never stop learning.
- Kindness really does pay off.
- A strong marriage is based on friendship and trust. My husband is my favorite person. We tell each other everything, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
- Sunscreen is mandatory. If only I could go back and tell this to my teenage self.
- Music is food for the soul. Listening to one of my favorite songs is like magic, if only for a little while.
- Faith is essential. Believing in a higher power brings me great comfort. Often times, it's my only comfort as I try to make sense of this big, bad world we live in.
The older I get, the more certain I am of these 10 truths.
Hello 37.
I can't wait to see what you bring...
Recently, I feel like I'm in a time warp. I'm so sick and tired of winter and ready for spring, but at the same time, I'm clinging to the days, quietly willing time to slow down.
I didn't realize the influence this dissertation would have on my perception of time. I've got a pretty rigorous writing schedule in place, and I'm finding that my days are flying by. It's okay. I know that this is how it has to be. But a life "pause" button would be pretty awesome right now.
The good news is that I'm making progress. The bad news is that, aside from being a wife and mom, all I really do is think about my dissertation. It's super nerdy and strange to constantly be drafting sentences in your head....to lay awake at night theorizing and thinking about data. Everyone says it becomes a love/hate relationship, and I'm beginning to see why.
In any case, I'm approaching this from a place of acceptance. If I'm going to reach this goal then I need to dedicate myself to it. And if that means several boring, isolated months, then so be it.
I've also accepted that it means 2014 will likely be a light blogging year. I'm finding that my desire to blog is significantly less now that I'm immersed in academic writing. I will definitely continue to blog, but my posts are already proving to be less frequent.
It's okay though. I can return more fully to this space in several months when I come out on the other side.
In the meantime, I'll do what I can.
Acceptance and faith. That's where I'm at right now.
And when I'm not "dissertating". I'm trying to soak up every bit of time with my little family. My boys. They truly are the lights of my life.
And this little guy is my anchor to the present. When I'm with him, time stands still. He gives me the gift of the moment...reinforcing for me, that I am exactly where I'm supposed to be.
