We Turned 26

Okay, so I turned 26 yesterday, and wow do I feel underprepared.

When we are 16 years old or even 20 we look at 26 years-old as so far away and we think about how put together our lives will be. The reality is I am still learning. I frequently call my parents for advice… maybe more than I should admit… I have a very minimal idea about what to do for my health insurance. I don’t know what I “want to be when I grow up”. I am still learning something new every day. I am single with no prospects of kids (most likely no kids ever).I have found out that sleep is the most important thing in trying to be healthy. I have joint pains because I need to stretch more. I realized I am not as big of a drinker as I acted a few years ago.

Every year I gain I feel like the less I truly know.

To everyone else in the mid-twenties, in their thirties, forties, and older. This is my love letter to you.

We need to not think back on what was or what could have been but remember we have so much more of our lives to live. When we are constantly bombarded with ads and media that tell us aging past around 21 is insidious (you know you can drink and gamble now but you’re still a kid), it is hard to feel okay with not knowing what is going on in your life. But, I truly believe that is the beauty of living.

We gain experience and knowledge with every year and can still say “what the f**k is happening” because there is so much left to learn. If you are 52 and want to start a new career or go back and get a degree- do it! If you just hit 30 and are still living with roommates, have you heard of a show called “How I Met Your Mother”? The whole thing is about 30-something-year-olds growing up. Iconic!

If you are pining after your high school and early college days, you will not be happy. You can try to recreate that all you would like but it just is not you anymore. It is not me anymore. Because another great thing about growing up is-- you change. Even if just a little bit. If you have doubts about starting something new or getting older, this is your sign to just do it! Try something and fail. Try something and realize it is your new passion. Try something and realize-- whatever you want.

Join me in embracing this next adventure and cheers to a new beginning in whatever is to come!

(Alex and Marisa in the Butterfly Dome, Alex with Tanuki scultpures by Kaneko, and Marisa pointing to a Furit Bat)

Adventures from our 26th birthday at the zoo.