1/4

Because I spent my birthday weekend with my amazing dear friend Sam in NYC I didn't blog about my 25th birthday.  And I fully intended to after our epic weekend but then I came home and spent the week loving on my husband and kids who I missed and just well, plain ol' forgot about it!

This year was my golden birthday...twenty five on the twenty fifth (of July).  Because it was a slightly monumental birthday, what with turning a quarter of a century and everything I have been reflecting on my life, my goals, my age etc...

For a long time I have said that I fully intend to live to be 101 (at least!) so that means this year I have lived about 1/4 of my life.  This is an exciting and sobering thought.  Exciting because I have enjoyed my life thus far...with all of it's beautiful memories, painful struggles, monumental victories...the ebb and flow of certain seasons, the completion and dissipation of certain dreams...  Sobering because I have been contemplating these questions "How do continue to live with this rich quality of life I currently enjoy?  How do I motivate myself to improve and grow even as I reach milestones in life? How do I continue to stay true to myself in the midst of the seasons in life?"

I suppose to some degree I reflect on these things every year as I get older but perhaps I have done so a little longer this year.  As I realized last year and reflected on here I have lived a lot of life in the last 25 years.   I love all the bi-products of that...my husband, my beautiful soon-to-be 3 children, my dear, dear friends all over the world, etc...etc...  And that's just it.  I want to continue to live my life to fullest.  

So this will remain my goal for the next 3/4's of my life...To make the most of my every experience.  To love all those around me that I know and meet with reckless abandon.  To share what I have and to give out of my need.  To remain a student of life...both history and the present...both people and places...both thoughts and deep emotions.  To strengthen my weaknesses and live through my strengths.  To parent to the best of my ability and learn from my mistakes.  To always take time to do things that are life giving to me.  To be my husband's biggest support so he never doubts my respect, admiration or love.  To be honest, true and open with myself and others.  To create in my daily life, in my art, in my cooking, in my home and with pride.  To live healthily.  To love the unlovely.  To drink in deeply the little moments.  To be a Mary not a Martha.  To create an atmosphere in my home of peace, warmth, wholeness and healing.  To accept criticism and desire personal growth.  

Of course I have specific goals... you know life goals like become fluent in other languages, visit all 7 continents and 50 states, sky dive, become a life coach, retire in China, write and publish a book, teach my children life skills, celebrate my Golden Wedding anniversary, etc...etc...  Trust me this list is endless.  Because like said earlier I plan to live my life to the fullest.

It's pretty exciting to look back at the start of my life and see few regrets and many unforgettable memories.  It makes it so easy to look toward to the future.

1/4 of my life...and the rest is ahead of me!