Editor Chit Chat: On Age & Turning 29

[dropcap]G[/dropcap]oodbye 28-years-old, hello 29! That’s right. I am now officially just one year short of leaving my twenties. And while most friends are dreading it, I just can’t be bothered to stress over it. I never have before. In fact, age has usually been some number to write on an application or a conversational insert when I’m introduced to someone new. It has never been a defining factor for me. To put it simply, I measure my life, not by the number I turn each year, but by the quality of life I have lived.

What is it about birthdays that make us so reflective? I can’t help wonder if it partially stems from the fact that it is the one day of the year where the spotlight is on us, and therefore we find ourselves more aware than ever about where we are in life. And ponder we do as we start to look over our lives, maybe even compare ourselves to friends, family members, old high school friends and even those we see in magazines and on TV. However, I like to think the beauty of the moment comes when we stop seeing each birthday year as something to dread or despise. But rather as this incredible opportunity to find out more about yourself, to discover new likes, to change old habits and to get excited for more adventures.

Now I’m more than happy to admit that I’m not completely immune to those moments where I find myself looking at a mirror and seeing the tail tales of a wrinkle appearing on the corners of my eye, or browsing my facebook feed only to see old acquaintances embarking on these amazing adventures and wishing I could travel in their suitcase. A natural tendency I think, especially if you consider we live in a society that can often be governed by the way we look and what we do. But I’m here to tell you that it really gets easier when we stop punishing ourselves for getting older and try to take each birthday as another chance to improve on the things we want to improve and do, while still celebrating our glorious selves.

If I look back at my 29 years of living on this planet, I can honestly say I have very little regrets. And that is a large statement to say. But so very true. In the years of gracing this earth, I still till this day have a best friend relationship with my parents (honestly, Rory & Lorelei from Gilmore girls has nothing on us), have nurtured strong, long-term friendships, obtained my PH.D and still left my sanity intact, kept my faith strong, traveled to some of the most amazing places in the world, secured a great job and even launched this amazing blogazine I’m proud of. The best part is that I’ve done this all while still going to bed with the absolute assurance that I’m a lucky gal. If that’s not winning the life lottery I don’t know what is.

I hope I haven’t rambled on the joys of accepting our age because I know it can often be hard drink to swallow. But I just think that time is too precious to waste on focusing on the number we turn when we can shift that same energy on this plethora of opportunities and adventures waiting for us to do.

Abraham Lincoln had it right when he said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

So as I turn 29 today, I find myself in that amazing position once again to welcome another birthday with open arms. Here is to many more years of being a better me.