Birthday Gratitude

I turn a year older today.

It's funny how I don't feel 'old' or 'older'. When I graduated, the thought of turning thirty seemed like such a far away sight, and yet I'm thirty three.

In my younger years, I thought that life would follow a very linear progression - that I would start a career, marry and have children; start specialty training early and be financially secure. I thought I would travel the world.

Now that I've hit my thirties and my life hasn't exactly turned out the way I envisioned it being when I was younger - and yet I'm happy at how my life has gone.

I'm married but yet to have children.

I've yet to start specialty training but I'm thankful to have found a specialty that I love and want to do for the rest of my life. 

I'm fortunate that I've managed to travel to places that I never quite envisioned I would be able to when I was younger, or met the interesting people I have along the way. 

I may not have everything that I thought I would have, but I'm content.

Most of all, I cannot begin to articulate how thankful I am, at this point in my life, to be surrounded by the family and friends I've had. I have never gone a day without feeling how much I'm loved - truly loved by family and my husband (it's still a weird word to say), and that despite whatever happens, they will be there. 

I know I can pick up the phone at any time and say, "I need to talk," and someone will be there. 

I know there will always be someone to say those encouraging words, and to give hugs when needed; someone who will be interested in experiencing the world the way I want it to be experienced. 

For those who have been involved in my life, at some point of other, thank you for the times we've spent. I may be sentimental like that, but it's an unbelievable blessing to look back at the people who've surrounded me, and made my life so much more colourful for it. 

Here's to the years to come.