leaving it at 27.

i'm not a big birthday person. i don't run around telling everyone it's my birthday. i don't expect gifts. i don't expect a big party. i'm used to sharing my birthday with my identical twin sister; and by used to, i mean i don't know it any other way. (and i love that). we are used to having christmas 10 days after our birthday, and our birthday 3ish weeks after thanksgiving. em and i arrived smack dab in the middle of the holiday season i suppose.

i'm in my last week of my twenty-seventh year, and i'll be honest... i sort of want to stay at twenty-seven. i know i'm being ridiculous; because twenty-eight shouldn't be any more or any less significant than twenty-seven. for some reason symbolically, it seems like it's the superglue on the back of some sign on the earth that says "GREETINGS CLAIRE, UPPER TWENTIES" (and in century gothic font, bolded and underlined). i know twenty-seven is upper twenties too, but something about the number feels more like elmer's glue and lowercase.  i definitely, utterly and seriously know the upper twenties doesn't mean i need to retire at life or something. my point is simply this: i'm usually indifferent about my birthday. and for the first time, and a few reasons, i'm wishing i could stay in twenty-seven just a little longer.

a lot has happened in my twenty-seventh year. some of it has been outstanding. some of it has been not-so-outstanding, but year twenty-seven has certainly taught me a few things. some of these lessons i've learned, some i haven't yet (but think i will), and maybe some of them i'll never know why. in year twenty-seven of my 5'5, brown haired, brown eyed self i learned to never compromise myself. i learned actions speak louder than words. i learned perspective from other people's eyes can make you stop in your tracks. i learned heartbreak. i learned courage can explode out of a child. i learned that i do know the feeling of being in the right place, and i do know the feeling when it's wrong. i learned to trust my instincts. i learned mentors are crucial. i learned to not bounce (as much) when i run, and i'm continually learning that i have a lot to learn....

in my year twenty-five i was introduced to the band MGMT. their song Kids is one of my favs for many reasons, and one of them is the chorus.

Control yourself

Take only what you need from it....


i'm going to do my best to bring the good stuff into 28... and for the not-so-outstanding stuff, i'm just gonna leave it at 27.

so... here's to the tail end of another year,

cw