On Leaving the 20s

Earlier this month I turned 29.  I wasn't all that pumped up about it, nor was I bummed out very much about it.  I just kind of went through the day like normal.  I was fairly certain that a lot of the people I'm around the most would have forgotten about it or didn't pay attention enough to notice.  For the most part I was right about that.  Thank goodness for Facebook reminders, right?!  I mean, my family remembered but that's different.  The cast remembered my birthday after our preview night was done and then everyone sang.  I felt like crying.  I'm not sure why I did but I did.  I think it was out of the thought of it after going a whole day without anyone knowing and being alone.  Ryan was out of town.  It could have been out of embarrassment, though, too.  Who knows!
I got home that evening and was purely and utterly exhausted.  I melted into the couch and an awkward Ryan emerged out of our kitchen with at Cold Stone ice cream cake with "Happy Birthday" written on it.  Then, I cried.

The next day, I sat in reflection of what what 29 actually means.  I'm leaving my twenty-somethings and moving to a whole new set of numbers. Those that know would know that that's really confusing to me because I apparently have trouble remembered my age anyways.  I think a lot of people, most particularity women, look at the 30-something range as something looming in the distance.  Its understandable, I suppose.  Your clocks are "ticking" and usually its the thought of being ever so closer to the top of that ominous hill we all have to dress in black for as we cross over.

My 20s were filled with so many dips in my life.  My 20s were filled with the end of my college years which were fantastic in the world of education.  Not so much in the sense of my relationships, both romantic and not.  I loved my major and my minor.  I really did love class.  I hated tests and stuff but I loved learning what I went there to learn.  I learned a lot in my classes that weren't necessary in the curriculum, as well.   I learned a boat-load about myself.  Especially learned a lot about myself in my mid-twenties.
However, it is definitely not what I would call some of my best years.  There is too much heartache and chaos in those years.  There's too much looming back there.  To me, the coming 30s are a hopeful blessing!
Its heading in the right direction anyway.  I got 'officially' engaged on Friday to the "Gilbert Blythe" I should have been looking for all along.  I am so annoyingly excited about our new lives getting started!  My relationships outside of mine and Ryan's are good and strong.  I have learned who my real friends are.  My parents and I are finally healing over a lot of wounds that were created over a very difficult time.  I have a future that I feel I can be proud of.

So, to that I say, I'm so relieved to be leaving my 20s.  I will savor my last twenty-something year and say goodbye to them next April with great glee!