Erin Wooddell
It’s that time of year again. No, it's not Christmas. And it's not tax season. It's time for another birthday.
Last week, when talking to my brother, this exchange happened:
Me: "But I'm gonna be 30!"
Him: "...In three years!"
How very 'When Harry Met Sally of Us,' amiright?
All joking aside, I've been a little leery about the number 27. For some odd reason, I still feel 23. I have no idea why that age has stood out so strongly to me, but it's made 27 a little tough to swallow. Luckily, my incredible family and friends simply tell me to stop being silly, and have helped me celebrate properly.
It’s that time of year again. No, it's not Christmas. And it's not tax season. It's time for another birthday.
Last week, when talking to my brother, this exchange happened:
Me: "But I'm gonna be 30!"
Him: "...In three years!"
How very 'When Harry Met Sally of Us,' amiright?
All joking aside, I've been a little leery about the number 27. For some odd reason, I still feel 23. I have no idea why that age has stood out so strongly to me, but it's made 27 a little tough to swallow. Luckily, my incredible family and friends simply tell me to stop being silly, and have helped me celebrate properly.
Though celebrating is key, I always take time to reflect before each birthday. This tradition began on my last night as a 14-year-old. I sat up, waiting for the clock to strike midnight, thinking and journaling about the past year before officially becoming older. Every year, I look forward to those last few moments of an age. I store away memories and try and evaluate what I learned from it all, in the hopes that I'll carry some wisdom with me across the birthday threshold.
Last night as midnight approached, I realized just how full my year was as a 26-year-old, and despite a small worry I had about no longer experiencing "firsts" once I reached a certain age, I realized there are still many things I don't know and haven't done.
In the past year alone, I moved in with strangers via Craigslist, quit my job without a plan, moved further away from my family than ever before and broke my first bone—just to name a few.
While big experiences are always easy to pinpoint, I like to challenge myself by also thinking of the small changes that have occurred. Like my Starbucks addiction (which continues to be fueled by birthday gift cards to the beloved caffeine hub) and finally discovering emoticons—a year and a half after getting my first iPhone. (Well, actually, I had a coworker make them accessible to me and then I discovered them. Let me just say, texting is a whole new experience. One full of self-doubt and excruciating decisions as I try to figure out which smiley or which dancing figure most appropriately fits the context of my text.)
It's a blessing to reach each and every birthday, and always fun to celebrate and focus on the new year ahead, but sometimes you have to look back before you can truly look forward. Thanks to this ritual, I always find peace about the passage of time. And today I feel more ready than ever to wholeheartedly embrace 27.
Last night as midnight approached, I realized just how full my year was as a 26-year-old, and despite a small worry I had about no longer experiencing "firsts" once I reached a certain age, I realized there are still many things I don't know and haven't done.
In the past year alone, I moved in with strangers via Craigslist, quit my job without a plan, moved further away from my family than ever before and broke my first bone—just to name a few.
While big experiences are always easy to pinpoint, I like to challenge myself by also thinking of the small changes that have occurred. Like my Starbucks addiction (which continues to be fueled by birthday gift cards to the beloved caffeine hub) and finally discovering emoticons—a year and a half after getting my first iPhone. (Well, actually, I had a coworker make them accessible to me and then I discovered them. Let me just say, texting is a whole new experience. One full of self-doubt and excruciating decisions as I try to figure out which smiley or which dancing figure most appropriately fits the context of my text.)
It's a blessing to reach each and every birthday, and always fun to celebrate and focus on the new year ahead, but sometimes you have to look back before you can truly look forward. Thanks to this ritual, I always find peace about the passage of time. And today I feel more ready than ever to wholeheartedly embrace 27.
What are some of your birthday traditions?