A Beautiful Life: The Perfect Age?

I haven't posted in what seems like forever. And the last thing I posted I think was to tell you all to go see my photography blog. Well, today I have something to talk about. Yes, I know, shocking, considering that I haven't had too much to say while Josh and I have been here. But, my "sanity" will be restored shortly when Josh and I head back to the motherland we affectionately call Washington. I don't like Idaho, and I have kept that no secret from people who have asked me this question. I've enjoyed my time here, I am by no means miserable. I love the weather, and I love waking up in the morning knowing that today it will be nice, and there is a 99% chance that tomorrow will be nice too. I like being in the middle of everything and I like going out to places to eat, but aside from those three things, I haven't found much else to like. I've met a few people, all josh's friends from school, I like them, but I haven't made the effort to make friends here. I noticed quickly that the majority of the people I've come across here are not friendly, people in the apartments here keep their blinds closed and when you pass them in the parking lot they can't even seem to muster a hello or even a vague smile. But, this is not what I'm here to talk about today. No! Here's what I'm really here to talk about.

On Sunday I turn 21, finally. And while I'm looking forward to this birthday more than I have all the other ones, I'm not overly excited. No, I don't dread getting older, while I look back on my childhood with this overwhelming nostalgia at the same time I welcome each new year with open arms excited to see what new things I can experience and what new things I can learn. I remember as a child telling my mom that I didn't want to get older, I wanted to be five forever. Being five was perfect. I look back on it and realize it really was. But my mom would always find a way to help me segue into my next stage (and age) without being traumatized. Moms are good like that. I do find myself saying goodbye to the 12, 16, 18 and 20 year old with a sort of sadness in my voice. A closing off point that seems like I'm saying goodbye to that part of me, I will never be that age again, and I will never experience things again in that moment, and at that age. But then I say, "Hello!" to my new age and find I'm determined to love where I'm at.

I've always wondered what the perfect age is. At 5 we are still babies and everything is done for us, but we lack the responsibility and the independence that we long for, the same for being 10 and so on. We spend our childhoods longing for that day when we are old enough to go and do things by ourselves but once we get there we find ourselves wanting back the days of simple times and pure untainted and unjaded joy. We are always striving to be older. 10 is huge, you are no longer in the single digits, for some reason 12 is pretty big, you're a tween, right? 13 is enormous! I remember getting a 13 inch tv with a VCR for my thirteenth birthday 14 and 15 pass without too much excitement, but 16 we've been waiting for since we were 5 and we could almost comprehend what driving was. Those comments when you were young about, "Wow! your six now? You should be driving soon!" Are no longer excrutiatingly far away, but right there before you... You can touch it now, those people lied when they said soon.

And so the world goes, next we look forward to 18, then 21. And then we think we've arrived...

But have we? There is so much more to age than just what you can do once you reach them, and there will always be an age that you have yet to reach that will have some advantage that you can't have right now. But then we reach a certain age when getting older, and waiting impatiently for that next stage is no longer a part of us. We turn to dreading the next year. Most dread turning thirty, and of course turning forty is terrible.

With age comes experience and wisdom and I am so excited to attain that. To experience life and enjoy it is something I strive for. Life is such a gift and I am so excited to enjoy this gift God gave me!

So with that said, is there really a perfect age? At anytime in life do we have everything?

Have a wonderful day everyone!!