35 years!

Three decades and five years. I can't believe it when I woke up today and that is my new year's age. How does it feel to be 35 years old? I really do not feel much older than before. It has been great the past years, there were ups and downs but still great. I'm thankful for all those years that shaped me today, all the places I've lived in (Alaminos, Los Banos, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan), all the unique places that I've visited (Kathmandu, Okinawa, Auckland, Brisbane, GBR, Madang, Tubbataha and many more), and all those who have stood by me through these years (you know who you are) - friends who gave me shelter and family who loved me for who I am. And the community that helped me renew and deepen my relationship with the One who loved us first! Thank you Lord for all Your blessings. Thank you for the gift of life.

I am looking forward to the coming years, of growing old gracefully. I still want to climb mountains, travel to unique places and dance until those golden years. Well it is not really my golden years yet but I understand when one of my friends said that we should celebrate growing old. There are many things that gets better with age, wine, cheese and other inner strengths and traits that can come only with the molding of the years.

At mass today, the final blessing was "go forth and continue to hunger for a better life". A message of hope that things could actually be better and to believe and yearn for that as your prayer was the residual feeling I carry from that blessing.

This year a diffent kind of realization of inner celebration came upon me. It is the first time in many years that I have come to really, really appreciate growing old.