35 With Miles To Go...OR...Holy Crap You're Old!..

Today my best friend turns 35. She has been on this planet for THIRTY FIVE amazing years...years that none of us can ever get back! Kidding aside...I am ever thankful to her parents for blessing us with such a glorious woman. And while I haven't had the pleasure of knowing her all 35 of her years...I have been blessed to know her the last 2 of mine. She has taught me a great deal about life, and love, and heartbreak, and truth. She has cried with me and for me. She has laughed with me and at me. She has rescued me, sheltered me, scared me, and kicked my ass more times than I care to speak of.
In honor of her today and because I am *SIGH* slightly older....I wish to share the lessons I have learned upon turning 35. She will thank me for it later. And so....AHEM....

35 is just a number. A higher number, yes, so you should be respectful. You are no longer in your 'early 30's'...you have reached 'mid-30's'. I know...it's a shock at first. The only reason that you need to know this is as follows....you can no longer party like a rock star. Well you CAN....but recuperation is a total bitch. And it hurts like HELL. No more Raves, or late night rock concerts (sitting on the lawn), or closing bars down at 3am. Now it's Opera in the Park, wine tastings, and museums. That said....when it's YOUR day...you put that tiara on your head and you party your ass off. You were wild once...don't let them tame you. Hang on to your inner bad ass. Forever. Or at least once a year.

You can't change anyone but yourself. Stop trying. Also, you can't please them either...so knock that self defeating shit off too. Say what you want to say, do what you want to do, be who you are. What others think of you doesn't matter-so stop letting it define you. People will love you or hate you---either way they are thinking of you---and nothing you do or say will make a difference. The only opinions that matter are YOURS and JESUS'. Get right with what you choose....and stick to it. Jesus has got the rest covered...OK?

You are BEAUTIFUL....inside and out. Do not be defined by what your brain determines your waistline should look like. You don't need cremes and lotions and magic to change your face, your skin, your figure, whatever. Your heart, your soul, your mind, your laugh....those are the reasons you are loved. We all got shit we want to change...anyone who tells you otherwise is lying! Go..look in the mirror...and instead of focusing on the lines and the grey and the things that you wish weren't there...try to remember the reasons those things ARE there. The life you have lived....and SURVIVED...and give thanks for the battle scars carried in order to celebrate your daily successes. So get off the Beauty Bus and hop on over here to the Fun Fatty Pier....we have cookies.

Be awesome. Be legendary. Do epic shit. Give yourself permission to do what makes you happy and tell everyone else to Fuck Off. Provide yourself memories to look back on....and tell the stories! Because they will be classics. Get your tattoo....commemorate your life. Join a club. Write a book. Develop a new passion...focus on yourself and your future....pour yourself into YOU. Do all the things you've been telling yourself "..when I'm older..." GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE OLDER!!!

Let go of hurt and anger and contempt and distrust. Let new people in. Dump old people who no longer serve a purpose for you. Surround yourself only with the people you intend to carry with you forever....for life is too long (and already sucks enough) to have anyone along for the ride that you don't find hilarious, engaged, present, and loyal. Even if you are the only one that feels that way. It hurts...and it's really hard. And your circle will get rather small.....but knowing who is there...and trusting your heart...is a better life in any playbook.

Believe. Believe in everything. God. Jesus. The Sun. Mud. Shoes. Coffee. Weenie Dogs. Norway. Sharpie Markers. Penguins. Prayer. Music. Flowers. Anchors. Photography. Zombies. (Sorry...my list. Used purely as an example. Feel free to insert your own...). Just believe. Believe that there is good...and that it outnumbers the bad. Believe that there is hope. And peace. And trust. And promise. Believe that the right wing liberal communists are gonna drink the Kool-Aid (just making a joke here people....no need to get bunched...mmmkay?)...and keep standing tall and loud with your beliefs. Speak out...be heard. Make a difference.....

So in conclusion....all the advice that I share WITH you, I more than likely learned FROM you. Because you are the strongest, bravest, truest, best, most amazingly wonderfully loving person I have ever known. And your next 35 years are bound to exceed ALL possible (and maybe even some impossible) expectations.

KEEP LOVING. KEEP LIVING. KEEP LAUGHING. KEEP HOPING. KEEP QUESTIONING. KEEP FIGHTING. KEEP DREAMING. KEEP GOING. KEEP PUSHING. KEEP PRAYING. KEEP SINGING. KEEP WRITING. 

KEEP BEING AUTHENTICALLY YOU.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!

XOX