Reflections on 30

Having recently celebrated that birthday milestone that's supposed to turn everyone from rational, youthful, fun-loving twenty-somethings to stress-filled year-counting thirty-something-approaching-midlife-crisis messes, take my word for it: your thirtieth is the same as every other birthday.

Maybe I'm being a wise owl, but freaking out over your age seems so not worth it. There are so many other ways to spend your energy. 

Instead, I've decided to assess where I am, where I'm headed, and when I'd like to get there.  The morning after my birthday last year, I had brunch and life talks with one of my closest friends and then went for a long, long walk around my neighbourhood. I listened to music, and sighed with happiness as I saw everyday things with new eyes.

A dog! Chasing a ball! In a park! *sigh*.Kids! Playing soccer! They're so little! *sigh*
Perfect amounts of sunshine and clouds! *sigh*The leaves on the trees are perfectly autumny! *sigh*

And I came to a realization that day on the sidewalk. In a lot of big ways, my life was more or less the way I'd hoped it to be when I was younger. And that feeling has stuck with me since that day. Partly because it was so great (really, how many people get to say that?!), and partly because I realized that I needed to make a new plan.

So one year and a few days after this wonderful revelation, in typical me-fashion, I'm crafting a list. A post-30 list, just because it's as good a place to start as any. This week, I'm drawing inspiration for list items from a wide variety of people around me. I'm collecting ideas. I'm getting there.