So I’m on the brink of turning 25. On the one hand it comes across as pretty daunting – “quarter life crises”, being 1 step closer to 30 and being halfway to 50 and all. On the other, well, I still feel quite young. That counts, right?
And so I was pondering this whole “getting older” thing, and came to the conclusion that I don’t feel very old at all (this might change on birthday morning). I’m still chirped of being “so young” at work, so I guess that is ok. I started thinking what have I done in my life? Broad, and perhaps too retrospective, I know. I mean, did I even do anything mentionable in the last year? And where do you start. You could say how “unaccomplished” I am. I’m not a bustling business woman with a towering empire. But when you really put things in perspective, I’ve achieved a lot in 25 years and when you really think about it – no milestone is too small.
- Learning to move, support your entire body, walk and talk. (Oh how we’ve progressed from being actual babies!)
- Learning to count, read and tell the time (I can’t even remember not being able to do these)
- I’ve literally learnt all the things I know. Which I assume is so much, I can’t even begin to quantify it.
- Lived roughly 9125 days (give or take those leap years)
- Getting through 12 whole years of school (that ranges from colouring in and learning to count, to working out scientific equations in matric!)
- Traveling to Israel for 4 months in grade 10, my entire gap year and a honeymoon funded entirely by us.
- Learning to drive.
- Getting an entire University degree
- Being an intern.
- Getting my first job (and subsequent second job!)
- Found a significant other, dated, gotten engaged and subsequently married.
- Successfully transitioned from baby – toddler – child – teenager – adult. I think.
25 years sure has felt like a long time (and by long time, I mean my entire life). We thought school was a long time and that was “only” 12 years. So I guess there really is so much to look forward to. Who knows where I’ll be at 50? I like to think we’d had a family by then, have a pretty awesome career, or having worked on some cool things, worked with cool people, made new friends, learnt SO many things. I guess I need to celebrate all the achievements.
Maybe I’m being optimistic, but hey, I’m feeling good about turning 25.
26, well, that’s another story (and next year’s problem).