One
September 28th, 2010 § 25 Comments
You know that song -
One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do..
Sometimes I would have to agree.
Now is not that time.
You see, today is the birthday of The Twenty-Fifth Year.
One year ago I sat down and recounted the experience of my first road race.
One year ago I decided to take my brother’s advice and start writing again. He urged me to start a blog, if only for myself and unpublished. The idea seemed to just enter my head on a whim. The Twenty-Fifth Year. A quarter century. A slice of life for someone turning – and living – 25 in 2009 and 2010.
I remember blowing out the candles on my cake last year, knowing I was going to start this and wishing:
I hope this takes off. I really hope something amazing and great comes from blogging.
The Twenty-Fifth Year. My Twenty-Fifth Year.
It was not one in which I launched a well-known blog and made myself an Internet star. It was not one that brought me success in a writing position or even a book deal. It was not one in which I fell in love, got engaged, married or had a baby. It was not one that was filled with the stress of buying a house or interviewing for a new job. It was not one that I grieved through from the loss of a loved one.
It was so much more.
It was the year of challenges. I challenged myself to complete a 5K for my birthday. Then a 5 mile race on Thanksgiving. Then a half marathon in May.
It was the year of changes. I froze my credit cards, took a break from materialistic purchases and got a handle on my debt.
This year, I had my heart broken. I suffered through intense stress. I cried a lot. I relied on the swift actions of my friends who swooped down below me and raised my spirits when times were tough.
I found my faith. I came to appreciate and utilize the Bible, found an amazing church and made God part of my every day.
I stopped fighting my curls. I started putting spinach in a blender. I started investing money into things like compression sleeves and natural peanut butter. I got a Garmin Forerunner for Christmas.
I discovered a community of wonderful people who loved to write and appreciated health. They were the ones I could count on for encouragement, compassion, laughter and love. They expanded my circle across the country and deep into my heart. Some of them I’ve been lucky enough to meet and revel in the amazing way in which it doesn’t even take a millisecond to feel their life and mine line up, side by side, as if we’d known each other all along.
It was the year I decided to take a giant leap of faith and move myself half-way across the country when the opportunity presented itself.
It was the year my life really changed.
I don’t mind aging. In fact the older I get, the more I genuinely like myself. I appreciate my strengths and recognize my weaknesses. I build confidence. I look back on past experiences and reflect on the lessons learned and the strength gained.
In short, this year feels like one in which my adult life has really began. I know I will always look back at the last 12 months as ones that have shaped me like no others before it. For that reason, I’ve decided to stay put and keep my name. I may not be 25 anymore, but what 25 was to me is so monumental that I feel it’s only right to continue acknowledging it.
We like to put people in boxes sometimes. 5 and under. Under 18. 18-21. Over 65. Under 30. College students. X generation. Y generation. Baby boomers. Retirees. Senior Citizens. Preschoolers.
If you gave me a form and asked me to check off the boxes that apply, I’m sure I could do it. When it’s in black and white, it’s easy enough. Life, though, is not a series of check the box that best applies. It’s life. I’m still not sure where I fit in all the time, and for the first time, I’m OK with that. It may feel like it’s one – me against the world – and even if it is, I think I can handle it. I’ve got one year under my belt and with that knowledge, one doesn’t feel so lonely after all.
If you’d rather not wait five hours for Google Reader to update my old domain, update your feeds and readers now!! http://feeds.feedburner.com/twentyfifthyear/NwxV
This entire post gave me chills. For real, I have chilsl EVERYWHERE!!!
Congrats on 1 year of blogging! <3
Annnnnd I can’t spell either.
CHILLS.
Love this..and you!! So glad you started blogging and that we got to party it up in Baltimore. Congrats on one year!!
Congrats on two years!!
I LOVE this post. Very well written. I’m new to your blog, found it when Jessica linked this post on twitter. But you are so right in your perspective. Love that you found a church and made God part of your day – makes a huge difference doesn’t it? Thanks so much for sharing
great post! I definitely need to follow your blog! Your writing is clear, insightful and well, good! Your new fan, Erin
Love this post, feel like we’re on strikingly similar pages. Congratulations to you!
Awesome post! Congrats on your blogiversary
the things you think – how you say them – how you reflect. It’s all very amazing. And now I’m encouraged to stop and take time to reflect for myself. I’ve been needing to do this for awhile now. And today’s that day.
So inspiring! I need to remember to cherish the unexpected obstacles. I always love your writing!
Happy one year of blogging! It’s amazing what a year can do in a life. All your experiences and changes were wonderful.
Yea! I’m glad you’ve had such a wonderful year. Happy Blog Birthday and I hope the next year is just as life-changing and fantastic!
Love this post! I feel like I’ve had a lot of similar experiences lately and I am also truly at peace with it all – finally. I’m glad to hear the blog name with stay the same!
Awww I love this! I really love “I stopped fighting my curls.” But it’s so true…I find the same thing, that as I get older, I genuinely like myself more as well. It’s nice to start becoming the person you want to be, no?
Happy blogging birthday!!!
I’m so glad you started this blog, so glad you came to Fitbloggin’ last year and I had a chance to meet you and I’ve loved following along. You’re a great writer and I hope you keep it up! Happy first blogiversary.
This has to be my favorite post! I love getting older because I accept myself and learn to love my flaws. Here’s to another great year…..older but wiser my friend.
Congratulations on the last year lady – making changes in your life like that is hard. It takes courage to actually share them with the world.
I’ve only just begun following, but I can’t wait to read about your 26th year. I hope it lives up to the year of 25!
Congrats <3 I stopped fighting the curls as well! And I am so happy!
So great! Love reading your work and I really look up to you. For writing and your whole outlook.
sounds like its been an AMAZING year
. heres to your 26th year coming up 
Gorgeous post.. you truly are a beautiful writer! It’s been a crazy year for me too (my bday was mid-August and I turned 26 too!). It never ceases to amaze me how much can change in such a short period of time.. but I love that excitement
Definitely give me a shout when your schedule slows down. Looking forward to meeting you in person!
happy belated birthday girl!
You have had SUCH an amazing year. Can’t wait to see what the next one brings for you.
<3
Congrats on a year of wonderful blogging! I’ve enjoyed your beautiful writing over the past several months and I hope to read many more posts from you
Inspirational, I say!
Enjoy your blogaversary weekend!
[...] Year. In true nostalgic form, I went back and read my first post and the one I wrote on this day in 2010. I guess you could say I was searching for something to say in remembrance and reflection of what [...]