I turn 30 in 2 hours.

I know, I’m making a stupid big deal out of it. If you’re annoyed, just skip this post and go look at Triple C.

The 30 Before 30 challenge has been just that…a challenge! Fear is always there (a little bit), along with excitement, but mostly I just need more time. (Don’t we all?) I think I was on track to complete my {super ridiculously overachieving} 30 goals before my b-day…February 24…but then I was out of town for almost 3 weeks, and things got a little off, shall we say. And life happened. And sometimes I just wanted to make a big, easy salad or have a frozen veggie burger versus making 6-day sourdough or some other awesome, time consuming bread. TIME.

And the irony, oh the sweet crazy irony of a challenge involving my age, the time I’ve been trotting on this planet, and it’s in direct conflict with the time needed to complete this challenge. Argh. {Have I ever mentioned I’m an only child? Yeah, that side just popped out for a moment. Sorry.} But, in the spirit of FINISHING a race/challenge/goal/hurdle…I will give myself some extra time to CRANK THIS OUT. Am I cheating? Perhaps. But I’d rather finish well than not finish at all. 🙂

Thanks for sticking with me through the challenge, switching my blog over…and everything in-between. You are lovely.

Tomorrow is a big day for many reasons, and I won’t go into that now. Maybe later. Most importantly, since I’m usually the last person in the world to make a big deal about my birthday, I get to celebrate a day where I’ve reached 30. Some people just don’t make it to that age. I’ve never had to go one day without the option of 3 square meals. I’ve always had a roof over my head, even if it was leaky. I’ve had access to transportation {public or private}, clean drinking water, clothes, and even {yes, yes} dumbbells/jumpropes/TVs/computers, & other random modes of exercise and entertainment. I have lived a life of luxury, by the world’s standards. I’ve never experienced real poverty, just temporary bouts of stress over money. I’ve never lost my health or my mind {debatable}, and I’ve never been labeled an addict. I’ve felt lonely but never lived hopelessly.

I do have an always. Always, I have been loved. God gave me the gift of being surrounded by amazing people before I even was born. Loving people have come in and out of my life, bearing gifts of wisdom, teaching, kindness, gentleness, grace and, most of all, themselves. {I’m not looking for a February rendition of “We Three Kings” here, trust me. Yech.} However, I am eternally grateful for these individuals.

As I think of what I’ve done so far in my life, I realize how much more I want to experience, if not accomplish. I like goals, and I also love to flounder. I like rules and find joy in bending them here and there. Being early can be fun but, let’s face it, I was born late-late. I’m thrilled to just be able to DREAM.

For the sake of recording for the future (because I can be so forgetful), here’s the stupid/exciting/silly stuff I accomplished experienced  in the last 10 years…

• Lived in Boston, studied music at my dream school, ate a ton of pizza, drank a ton of coffee, stayed up way late way often, saw manymany shows {music, duh}, sang a lot
• Responded to my call to ministry, hung out with prisoners and children
• Met Matt, fell in love, married said Matt, adopted Sam the dog, moved 5 times with said Matt & Sam
• Got some extra letters after my name, learned I know nothing and have so much to learn
• People…I experienced their beauty and their pain…okay, I just got a taste of it…that’s still going on.
• Dreaming big and dreaming wide, being okay with lots of grey in all places of my life, being certain that I love to live in grey {and turquoise, duh}
• Grieving the loss of one of my best friends, being hurt and hurting others, reconciling and restoring relationships
• Being loved much, making new friends, losing a few old friends, reuniting with lifelong friends
• And, in the last few months, I’ve learned that I’m not as afraid of life as I used to be. I’m really quite thrilled by the adventure, actually.

 

So that’s all I have…and it’s a lot, I know.

The 30 Before 30 challenge continues, and I hope you’ll check in here and there to see how it’s going. I hope you’re able to reflect a little {or a lot} on where you are in life right now, where you want to go/be/see, and what you’d like to experience along the way. It’s not always about Accomplishing, it’s more about EXPERIENCING. Let’s do this thang. 🙂

Happy living!

-Laurel