Timing and Perspective

I think that it is somewhat natural for individuals to become more reflective during certain events of their lives. Those obvious events include births, deaths, and birthdays ~ all of those moments that force us to take a deep look at where we currently stand in relation to where we expected to stand. Today is one of those days for me!

It is my birthday. And nothing feels different from yesterday nor from last year and yet certain things are monumentally different…and others haven’t changed a bit. For example, I was up at 3am today. Now, I’ve been up at 3am on past birthdays as well. And like past birthdays where I was up at 3 am, I did have someone screaming at me. But this time it wasn’t the bartender indicating that it is was really last call and that we needed to leave; it was Reily anxiously wanting to be the first one to wish me a happy birthday!

And again, like past birthdays, I got sick last night. But this time it wasn’t due to the over-consuming of the nectar of the gods. Just a reminder that my stomach can no longer handle undercooked meat followed by a bag of reese peanut butter cups. And like past birthdays, I remind myself that it shouldn’t take ‘milestone’ events to occur for me to be reflective upon where I currently stand in this world. I would be better suited if I just incorporated it into my daily routine – add it to the list.

But today is different. I got up like normal at 3 am being that I lack the ability to fall back asleep like my other 3 roommates possess; and I was able to walk the city. There is just something amazing about the city before it is inhabited with routine. And likewise, I seem to find myself embracing the brisk morning air regardless of the temperature when its enjoyed in solitude during the early morning hours. Yet my perspective on the weather changes dramatically by evening as the once refreshing breeze is replaced by the harsh, winding wind that seems to enjoy battering any exposed skin that it can find. What is so different between the two occurrences besides the timing and my perspective? And there I have it – that is the difference!

Not one for change, I’m slowly learning to accept that the only constant is change itself. With that, I’m welcoming my 31st year (and here is where my father will argue that I’m in my 32nd year but that is for another discussion and one best enjoyed 5 beers deep!) and learning that timing and perspective are the secrets to this life of mine. Life is about details ~ and that is where the beauty lies. For when we go through the motions of our days then we forget the wonderful moments that are right before us. And I almost missed an amazing one this morning ~ something that yesterday would been looked at as routine. But not today; for I got to hold Reily during the first moments of my birthday – feeding him as he drifted back off to sleep next to his mom. And that is where my perspective changed!