A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun.  Enjoy the trip.

– Author Unknown

Well…it’s here… today is my 27th birthday. It was a year full of ups and downs, and of course, my first wrinkle. Recently, my boyfriend’s 8-year-old daughter asked him how old he was. He replied that he was 37, and she promptly put her pen to paper – writing and then saying out loud, “middle age.” He was aghast that she considered him in this not-so-fresh category. This incident got me thinking about my own birthday.

For the last several years, I haven’t looked forward to them. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why it has come to this. I have asked myself, Is it because of the double standard when it comes to men, women and aging? Or is it the failed expectations born out of a few childhood slumber parties? But I do know one thing; I wouldn’t want to go back to being 18 again. And I am sure my 54-year-old mom would say that she does not want to go back to being 27.  So this year, I am going to try something new – instead of focusing on what’s missing on my birthday, I am going to try to focus on how many Facebook wall posts I get – only kidding! But really, this year, I’ll be striving to focus on all of the blessings that made up the last year and reflecting on all of the cool experiences I have had since 1984. I’ll look forward to the positive experiences and the growing pains of the next 365 mornings – which I already know will include visiting my ailing 88-year-old grandma this weekend, traveling to Korea for my brother’s wedding next month, serving as maid of honor in my childhood best friend’s wedding in July, and attending my first-ever country music concert this summer.

Age 26 certainly has been a trip. But I look forward to the journey of 27 – inching closer to 30…but still far from middle age.