Another year older

On Sunday, June 22, 1978 I will be another year older. This year I'm celebrating the big 3-0. I remember being 16 and thinking it was light years away, but alas it's not, it's only 1.5 days away. The years have come and went and I look at myself and say, "Is this where I thought I was going to be."

With gas prices pushing $4.50, and a recession looming, I consider myself blessed. I have a job, health benefits, a car to drive, and a roof over my head (even if I still live at home). There are many Americans who don't have these things. When I think about the disasterous rains and tornedos that have hit the mid-west, I realize many individuals from that region of the country have lost some of the things I just mentioned. Life can be so fragile and if we're not careful it can be gone in an instant. I don't know about you, but Tim Russert's death competely caught me off guard. None of us really ever know, do we?

Am I where I thought I would be? No, but I'm definitely in a better place than I was five years ago. I feel like I can see a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. I have to thank my family (Dawn and Esther), my circle of friends, my boyfriend Karim, and some mentors who've come into my life. I'm really thankful for the mentors because they believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. I'm finally starting to see the fruits of my labor, especially with the screenwriting and I'm even getting back into acting. Who knew?

Turning 30 is tough for many different reasons, but it is not as bad as people make it out to be. Years ago, it used to be the end of the road for a woman. Your life was over if you weren't married with kids. I know some cultures still subscribe to this belief, but I'm glad it's not how I was raised. I'll admit, I used to think turning 30 was the end of the world. It's not, the world around me has changed and will continue to change. I have to stand guard and be ready for some of those changes and do my best to embrace them.

I'm glad to say I made it another year and that turning 3o isn't that bad, life could be much worse. Just watch the news and you'll know what I mean.

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