are my favorite!
Good thing someone was nice enough to give me some for my birthday. ;)
Last week, I was speaking with my mom on the phone and she asked if I was getting excited for my birthday. I replied, "Well, it doesn't really feel like my birthday." To that, she responded sympathetically, "Aw, it's because you're getting old!" While true that birthdays aren't quite as monumental as they used to be, they're still a great excuse to sing, laugh and eat cake with friends and family. And lucky for me the singing and cake lasted all weekend! Reflecting on my 24th year of life, all I can sat is it has gone by fast. For the first time, my life is not defined by a semester, or a season. Instead of being segmented by time frames and deadlines, it's turned into something more free-flowing. Aside from my Parker-family-plan cell phone bill and bi-weekly laundry trips home, I am completely independent and living on my own timetable.
No one or no thing is forcing me to do anything. I'm living for myself. And enjoying it. Aside from LA traffic and stuffy parking, I can't forget the quality of life California offers. Living in warm weather is wonderful. After bearing the brunt of Provo winters for 4 years (and a Jerusalem winter for 1), the California sunshine is a welcome reminder of why I moved home after college. Yesterday while pontificating this very topic I said, "It's like summer never ended!" While I have a strong desire to live a large portion of my life overseas, if I'm in America, I very much enjoy California. If only my two siblings moved here, it would be perfect.
I'm grateful to be living a life that doesn't require things to be happy. I'm content with a good book. I have a long way to go in my knowledge of the world, but I do have enough insight to know that I have so much more than most people. I would look like a fool to ever feel ungrateful.
While the last year of my life does not offer any foreign adventures, it offers a solid foundation of self. Travels will come in the future.
3 comments:
wow, catherine. such a great post - true wisdom (and at 24 young years!). you look wonderful & so happy. pretty flowers, great pictures. sorry again that we couldn't make it, but let's get together in july. i'll call you soon.
I'm so glad you had a good birthday and even more glad that Dad and I got to spend part of it with you.
Love you honey! Mom
i love love love you parker. You are so amazing. I wish I was in California to celebrate your birthday, but more importantly your life. Thanks for being such an amazing friend. I would be a fool to be ungrateful as well. Happy Birthday.
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