Birthday Blues and Dreams Come True

Welcome to February, the month of love and African American History. Coincidentally it is also the month of my birthday. January held many surprises, including a six inch blanket of snow across the coast of North Carolina. One very exciting thing that it held for me was my very first viewing of live figure skating. Some friends of mine and I went up to Greensboro NC for the US Figure Skating Championships. We were able to see the pairs skating and ice dancing final competition. It was absolutely breathtaking. This was my birthday celebration this year. That brings me to something not quite as exciting. My birthday is in two weeks. Yes, my birthday is in fact on Valentine's Day. For the first time, I am actually not happy about being another year older. I think twenties are the most difficult time in one's life as far as aging is concerned. I don't think you will ever feel as old as you do when you are in your twenties. That is silly, you might say, but its true. When you are middle aged you have already have children or a career and you already realize that you are an adult. When you are a senior you accept that you are old and enjoy the benefits of it(cheap coffee, free admission etc.). However, when you are in your twenties you are forced to accept a fact that you have been trying to fight for the previous ten years-you are growing up. No one wants to grow up once they realize its happening. You only dream of that when you are little. Once you actually start growing up you can't stand the idea. I don't want to be aware of how fast time is passing. I don't want to see how long I've been alive and how little I've accomplished. I don't want to face the decisions of adulthood. I don't want to grow up. I feel very old this year, and I feel as though life is just slipping through my fingers and I can't seem to catch up with it. It is scary, but it is also motivating. Seeing those ice skaters with their AMAZING talent and how much time they have put into mastering such a skill made me think "Am I using my time to its full potential?" I don't think I am. I need to make sure that I am redeeming the time and that I am spending time invested in things that really matter. So this years theme for me is "Plan." I want to make sure that I am planning my activities out well, that I am planning my future well, and that I am always seeking God's will first. Well, here's to another birthday, and another year that the Lord has given to me. Now it is up to me to decide what to do with the time given me.