Another Year...

There is nothing like a birthday to get you to reflect about where you are in life and what you have learned. Upon turning 23, I thought of three things that I've learned in my life.

1. We always remain children inside. Yesterday, I took down the poster I have of a penguin. Not because I don't like penguins anymore, but because I don't think a 23 year old in law school should have a poster of a penguin on her wall. However, I did not put the poster in a box...I hung it on the wall in my closet. It is out of general view, much like the child-like preferences I have retained, but anyone who is close enough to me to go inside my closet will see it and know a little bit more about me. Having that poster says I still lick my fingers, chew gum and blow bubbles, and like to walk through puddles. But having it inside my closet says that I can act and dress professionally when required, have learned and am still learning to keep my mouth shut when needed, and pay my bills on time...for the most part.

2. This may or may not sound profound, but the second thing I learned: family matters a lot. I did not realize how much until they weren't there. My brother had to work on my birthday, and my parents called in the evening to wish me. So, for most of the day, I didn't have a lot of contact with my family, and that made me depressed. So while my friends gave me gifts and took me out, I was still sad until my parents called and my brother got home. Things don't really matter at all, people matter more, and family matters the most.

3. Lesson three: being yourself is harder than you might think. When looking around my room and assessing the "23ness" of it, I noticed how I've kept some habits from my teen years. For example, I still hang meaningful tokens in random places...like a funky neckless from India on my vanity, and a key-chain mouse with my alma mater logo on it on my floor lamp switch. I don't know how many 23 year olds do such thing, but I decided I didn't care because those things mean something to me. And when people see my room, I want them to know I am a colorful person with lots of interests. Wherever they look...my bookshelf, my desk, my bathroom sink...I want color and life, pieces of who I was and who I am. Hence, my masquerade ball masks from prom stayed, so did my art-postcards from the Kimbell. And the cute little whiskered friend from undergrad remains put...proudly displayed for all to see.