Post 21 Musing

So I was right and I was wrong about the change of age.

In the grand scheme of things, yes, 21 ain't all that different from any other birthday, except that you can no longer call yourself any type of adolescent. Except maybe in your heart of hearts.

As for the day just passing by like any other day, without anything to mark it as special -- totally happily wrong.

The day began early on February 19 with a 9:00 trip to the Draper Temple Open House, which I had been much desirous to go to. It was a truly lovely, beautiful experience. It immediately set the tone for how to orient oneself in adulthood. It was mushy too holding Brant's arm or hand all the way through. As Brant had to go to work, I went home and actively played with my birthday/Christmas presents: Pandora and Nemo. They are darling ferret kits, growing very, very quickly... and voraciously. After much dashing and cuteness, I, like my fuzzy-snake children, napped heavily as a result. A long phone call with the parents completed the afternoon revelry, with opening the wrapped box they sent me. Two sexy business pants, an embroidery hoop, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate mints, and (ever precious) Salisbury Seasonings were the loot of the hour. When Brant got home, we went to Stoneground (which feels like a San Francisco transplant) for delicious chicken & artichoke heart pizza and a version of chicken parmasan. We then stopped at Gourmandise to pick up a lovely piece of chocolate mousse. Hot-tubbing and late-night swimming came next, winding down the day. The mousse was devoured and gifting proceeded. I sense a theme here, as I received two hot pencil skirts and a cool new blouse. (The business side of me was very enthralled with the new clothes, obviously....) The evening coninued on with happily-ever-aftering and some splendid, deep sleep.

What made this day so extraordinary wasn't the sightseeing, the food or the gifts, though each contributed to the smiles of the day. It was that my parents and husband were so thoughtful in expressing their love and value for me. Hearing that, feeling that -- the gift of authentic appreciation, support, and love -- is really what celebrating birthdays are about. Such actions by others lift the one singled-out. It provides encouragement for a furthered sense of becoming.

In this light, 21 was different from 20, or any previous age for me. Typically, a birthday is just a birthday and a mark of time passing. This time around -- perhaps stirred up by going to the temple open house first thing -- I did feel different with the advent of a brand new year. I felt more sober, more adventurous, more at peace and very much ready to blossom into someone more than I had been. It was a rare day to feel such a unified shift of mind and spirit. Nothing in the moment of change was alien or unknown to me, but it was new in its degree of determination.

Though I could easily long for childhood, the opportunities adulthood proffers are more tantalizing still. Creativity and silliness and feeling special isn't just a thing of younger days -- it's very much a part of how we shape and are shaped by the future.

21 is going to be a great year!