On the Eve of 30
I've always been into my birthday. My family always put a little effort into make a birthday into "Your Special Day." As I've gotten older, my birthday is still one of my most important days, and if you were a loved one of mine who choose to include me in your own birthday, I would do my best to make it special.
For a while when I was little I had a beautiful canopy bed. The sheets and the canopy itself were white and pink, and my bedroom on a sunny morning would just be so bright and cheery that it was never hard for me to wake up. To this day I like a bright, cheery bedroom, and sunny mornings are just the most beautiful. Anyway. I was maybe in second grade or something, and I woke up to the brightest sunny morning. My parents and brother brought me breakfast in bed (pancakes, of course, probably chocolate chip) and sang me the Happy Birthday song. We use these "It's Your Special Day" dishes on your special day, be it birthday or other equally good news, and it really does make the day extra special. I think that was the birthday I got roller skates.
Eventually May 12 became a rainy day. I no longer wake up to the sun, no one is singing me the birthday song, there is definitely not anyone bringing me breakfast in bed, and the Special Day plate is at my parent's. Even if I had all those things happen, it would never compare to that sunny morning and the pleasure I felt as a child.
So, 30. It's here tomorrow. It was bothering me quite a bit, the milestone, you know? Then I realized that entering my 30s means I get to say "g'BYE!" to my 20s and that actually sounded pretty good, it's been time to move on for a while. Goodbye to all those lost friendships and relationships. Goodbye to now long-gone furniture, clothes, apartments, things. Goodbye to lingering stress, embarrassment, shame, and guilt. Goodbye.
Out with the old, in with the new, right?
Hello to getting my floors refinished instead of buying...stuff. Hello to overpaying my mortgage. Hello to simplifying, cooking at home, nurturing relationships. Hello to honesty, commitment, generosity. Hello to parenthood and this new Laura I haven't yet met.
Hello, 30, I'm ready; Let's GO.