And The Green Grass Grows All Around.

On Friday evening I was fortunate enough to have time to enjoy a good movie with my parents, and still head off to a birthday drink with a few friends. Not my birthday, mind you, but that of a friend and roommate of a friend. Same person, just horrific grammar, that's all.

Anyways, she was turning 24 years of age (same age as myself), and found herself to be feeling old, and underwhelmed with her progress in life so far. I tried to confirm with her that she's got a lot of life left, and plenty of opportunity to achieve her goals. I've learned that you're never where you thought you'd be at a certain age. I didn't think I'd be 20 when I first moved out. I never thought I'd be 24 and just starting school, and I bet when I'm 30 I'll not be where I thought I'd be. There's nothing wrong with setting goals, and if you do everything within your power to achieve those goals, and still don't have any luck than there's no need to feel hard on yourself. Disappointment is inevitable, sure. I'm not saying you can't feel a bit blue for not achieving your goals. What I do think is important, however is to keep in mind that every day ahead of you is a day you can progress and become better than you were the day before. I fully believe that as humans we grow and excel daily, even if it's only in the tinniest of ways. As we go through the seasons of our lives, the things we get better at change, but we're always getting better at something. To feel like you haven't accomplished your goals demands that you recognize what goals you have achieved, and relish those. Savour simple pleasures; the way a piece of art can move you, the satisfaction of cooking a meal and having it turn out the way you planned, sharing a conversation with good company and perhaps learning something new about them and yourself.

I bet some of you are thinking I'm full of it. I do spend a lot of this blog complaining and being bitter. That's just what I type down. Like the diary I treat this as, it's a place to vent and release. All in all I'm a fairly upbeat and optimistic individual. I don't feel like "the air is sweeter, and birds sing more beautifully" after my accident, but what I do recognize is that things could have gone worse. A lot worse. I still have my leg, I'm not paralysed or brain damaged, and my parents didn't have to bury a child. I am exceptionally lucky, given the circumstances and while I don't believe in a higher power, I do have to recognize that you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. If I wallow in self pity or despair I've somehow cheapened the whole experience. My leg will hurt, and it will always hurt. That's okay, it's like a bit of string tied around my finger in reminder that I'm lucky.

So if she should ever happen to read this, I would like to think she takes heart to this, her 24th year of life. She's got a whole new year to do a whole bunch of new things. How fortunate for her that she's got the opportunity to continue to become better and grow in a society with so many opportunities.

Her world will continue to be a better place day in and day out, and suddenly 24's going to seem like such a young age.