Turning 27

Oh, how the years go by. Tomorrow I'll be 3 years closer to 30. I haven't seen any gray hairs as of yet. On my morning walk, in the cool of the trees and river path, I thought about what I accomplished as a 26 year old.

I came up with the following:

• Applied, got accepted to, and started graduate school.
• Finished my year of AmeriCorps service.
• Made two Amish quilts.
• Locked up my keys 5 times (Twice in the house, three times in the car): a new record.

And that was the list. . . [Crickets chirping].

If I was a goal oriented person (which I semi-am), I would feel that this last year was not my most productive. But as I am a relationally-oriented person foremost, I've continued thinking, and while all the rest are works in progress (aka lifetime pursuits), I none-the-less consider the following as productive pieces of my mortal probation:

• Started the healing process after our miscarriage
• Reaching outside of myself to make new friends
• Trying to stay connected with old friends
• Learning and loving more about my eternal companion every day
• Mourning with those that mourn
• Self-recognizing blind spots and pride in all their secretive and entitling ways
• Continuing a love-affair with the Word of God
• Keeping hope for the future
• Living in the moment (every now and then)
• Forgiving old hurts from myself in all my foolishness and others in all their humanness
• Eating healthier
• Doing something physically demanding every day
• Grappling with life's questions, heartaches, pains, and mysteries with continued faith in the Healer of all wounds.

I'd like to say that as a 26 year old I became a mother. Maybe I did. I feel different. I'd like to say that at 26, my husband entered his first year of medical school. He didn't, but I've seen more and more reasons why he already is a healer. I'd like to say that I rid myself of all bad habits, social blunders, and selfish ways, but I didn't. And good thing, because what would I have to look forward to in turning 27? :)