It’s true- I turned twenty six yesterday. It feels a lot like 25, maybe even 24 but it certainly feels nothing like 23. So young then. So free.
On Sunday I had the chance to get together with my roommate from first year university. The topic of conversation made its way to the big birthday and it turns out that Dave had just turned 26. He confessed that it was the first time he actually thought about it being his birthday and what that meant for his life. He also said that a friend of his called him on his 26th birthday and said: “welcome to the years of nothingness”. Awesome.
So here I am- officially closer to 30 than 20 (although I suppose that actually first happened sometime around November 07, I just didn’t realize it). Over the past week I’ve been thinking about what was happening a year ago. I do believe I would have been on break from grad school, just starting to think about my placement (a little late I realize) and anticipating a full summer of lectures and a beach day every once in a while ( when i was allowed to go). I couldn’t have known then that I’d end up living in the middle east, come back to move in with one of my top 10 favorite people in the world and get great experience at a nice little NGO just north of Toronto.
That said, this birthday, more than any other has caused me to reflect on where I’m headed and what I want my life to mean in the coming years. Questions such as what does it mean to be a Christian continue to linger. Seriously, what does that mean? And does my life reflect that? More than ever I believe in Jesus and what he was about and what that means for the world at large- and yet at the same time, more than ever I think that I’m failing to fully comprehend it for my everyday life. It’s a mystery.
I also think about where I’ll be from a year from now and how this year is probably going to go by faster than the last one. There are some things I’m looking forward to- the chance to go to Malawi in the summer and possibly another African country in the fall is exciting. There’s the Epiphaneia conference to plan and a new project idea that I’m playing around with, which are both things that could make 26 an incredible year. More than those things I’m content to be back in Toronto and spending time with good friends- many of whom either are or may be moving out of the country this fall.
Sure I think about whether or not I want to, you know, enter into a covenantal marital relationship. Sometimes I joke that I have a competition going on between my sister and I: she started a family when she 20 and now has three children, I started school just before then and now I have two degrees. I guess that means she’s up 3-2, although I have no plans on evening up the score anytime soon. Perhaps I’ll try to settle the score by having kids but I feel like I might be missing a step in there somewhere. Who knows? Dave said on Sunday that 26 means that we’re officially on the clock now to get married. Time is running out? Shoot- I’d better stop blogging. I’m on the clock.
Maybe the clock starts at 27 because it’s just not a good time. I’d rather go to Malawi…
I didn’t actually do anything to celebrate my birthday besides receive some nice phone messages and play volleyball- like every Tuesday. Keith did give me cookies for my birthday but then promptly ate them after I went to bed. However, I do think that some classy people are taking me out tomorrow to celebrate another year. Wooh.
26 in 2008: In the words of Faith Ecenroad, “it’s a big year!”



