Twenty-two years and counting

The end of March marks the start of a new year in my life. My birthday has come and gone and I'm now twenty-two. No big party, but I didn't really want one. I just spent time with my best friend last Saturday and went to a play that Sunday. I ended up getting a new computer out of the deal since my Mac crashed Friday. The problem? It's a Windows. I haven't used Windows computers in ten years. At this point, I've managed to get connected to the internet. I know the DVD player works. I know the wireless card works. Haven't tried much else.

Even though I've passed another birthday, there are times I have to remind myself it happened; I have to remember I'm 22 now. I suppose it makes sense. After all, there's rarely any sort of ceremony or tradition surrounding birthday number twenty-two. Thirteen seems big because you're finally a teenager. The next year or two marks the beginning of high school. Sixteen, of course, is everything for most teens. Girls get the sweet sixteen party. You get your learner's permit, soon to be your license. If you're lucky you get a car. If you're really lucky and/or your folks aren't the most intelligent (in my opinion) you get a new car. Eighteen marks the world of legal adulthood. You're graduating, being thrown into the world with whatever guidance or lessons you may have picked up over the last twelve years of school. Twenty is big because you're no longer a teenager. Twenty-one years and you can legally buy your own alcohol. Twenty-two? Not exactly a milestone in most people's eyes.

In my twenty-two years on this world, I've learned a lot about myself. As a child, I learned to do whatever my mom said. Whether he like the pets or not, my dad would do anything for them because they were mine. I learned about classical music, great literature, and great art, developing a life-long love of impressionistic art. The ability to think for yourself will get you far and help you for the remainder of your life. Sometimes friends leave, but that doesn't mean you have to forget them. The best food in the room just might be the stuff nobody else is touching. Grass is not my friend. Neither is poison ivy. The worst thing you can ever do is lie to someone who trusts you; if that person is your mother, you may as well have committed blasphemy. Be willing to express your opinion, but realize that sometimes its better to keep your mouth shut. Its okay to drive over 40 mph. The idea of standing by your friends no matter what sometimes only works in theory. My uncles would kill for me if I asked them; my mom would get away with it. My step-dad is one of the greatest men in the world if only because he treats my mom like royalty. Suicide is never the answer, if only because it causes so much pain to the people left behind. I have three guardian angels watching over me, one of them a canine. The pursuit of knowledge is never a waste of time. The smell of steak cooking can make me nauseous. Whether its a car or a house, outer appearance doesn't matter. Family doesn't always mean you're related. A smile is the same in any language. Don't be afraid of manual labor. A willingness to work, to try, is just as important as knowing how to think. Boys are icky. Best friends don't always make the best lovers. Anytime you get extra money, you'll suddenly find a need for it you didn't know you had. Try anything once; you might find a new hobby.

I could go on, but just got an invite for dinner with a friend I haven't seen in a few months. Hope you enjoyed that little glimpse at some of my life lessons.