Quarter and Counting

"Age isn't important, unless you're cheese."

Yes, the time has finally come when I have hit a milestone in this life of mine. In a few short years, I have gone from a wide-eyed curious 18 year old thinking about how life would turn out when she grows up, to a round-faced quarter of a century young girl, still thinking about how life would turn out when she grows up.

One year ago, I was going through some things in life with a person who is very dear to me. Things at that time looked bleak, and the future that I had foreseen was shaken up unexpectedly.

My 24th was all about recovery and rediscovering.

The strength and determination I have witnessed that year certainly had a profound effect on me. And it taught me about being prepared for the worst, to always have a backup plan. Mind you, the experience did not bring out the pessimist in me, but let's just say that I know what happens when you are caught off guard and you are left to figure ways to climb out of the ditch without a rope.

I know for a fact now that change is always eminent in every stage of my life, no matter how hard I try to hold on to it. But hey, what's a little change compared to some advancements?

So now I am at the dawn of my 25th, and so far things are slowly progressing. I have been very lucky, with the help of many angels. Many times, I questioned "how could we have we gone through that?", and it further solidifies that help is indeed all around when you open your mind and heart to it.

I don't take the time to count my blessings as often as I should, and hitting this milestone and inching out of my 'early' twenties has definitely made me sit up and take note of my life before another 25 years pass me by again.

Indeed, there are many that I am thankful for:
1. Supporting family, who has never waiver in their love and understanding of me - even when I was a rebellious teenager/young adult defying them and breaking their hearts over and over again. They have always stood by me and waited for me to wisened up in my own time, of course with the help of their rules, curfews and scoldings. ;) I know I have passed that worrying stage in their eyes when this weekend, as I was going out of the house to celebrate my birthday with a bunch of friends, I went to say bye to my dad, and he looked up at me, and said
"Going out ah?"
"Ya, to a club."
"Okay, have fun!" And then he smiles..

THAT has not happened to me before okay. It was just a few years ago that dad nagged me for taking drunken pictures with unruly boys because it will ruin my image and the prospect of losing out on a boy I really liked next time. <3

2. A wonderful person whom I call my boyfriend. For the first time, I feel truly comfortable in my skin with a boyfriend. I guess this is what they call, growing up and growing into your own with the right person. There are no words that could describe what you are to me and how you have given me the space to grow into the person I want to be while never failing in your support and love. In addition to that, in the past 2 and a half years, you have not only managed to make me fall in love with you over and over again, but you made my family fall in love with you as well. *hmph. teacher's pet*

3. My group of friends whom I can clearly call my soulmates and whom I can see us growing old together many many more years to come. You know they say, that a person truly only has a handful of close friends in their life? These girls are my handful. We have been through so many things together, some big some small.. fights, adolescent cattiness, and lots more (boy were there lots of drama) but all of us have played a part in our growing up individually and as a whole.

4. A new house that I can call home. Long story short, we bought one house previously which was on the edge of crumbling down, not knowing what to do with it since the whole house requires medical assistance and a plastic surgeon (a very expensive one) that was about to bankrupt us. So we sold that, and got another, a new house that does not require extensive works, only minor make ups, and after 1 year of making sure it is livable, it is finally so this weekend. :) Now, all we need is to find a time where we can hibernate there for at least 24 hours to slowly settle ourselves in in this new nest and have people over for a partay! I still have not found that shoe cupboard.

5. Work oh work. Even though I have somewhat of a love-hate relationship with my work, I am thankful that I have a job in this economy, that not only allows me to grow professionally and individually, but takes me to places which I might not have gone myself otherwise. Most of all, what is work when you have good partners in crime? My colleagues are really something. I can see how much we have grown from when we first set foot in this organisation, to our dynamic today - the exuberance for life and the passion for achieving things together (not work related haha). Sometimes when work gets too tough and I feel like giving up, these people are who keeps me grounded, to motivate me again, to push me to find out for myself what more can we do with the organisation.

This post is getting longer than I had expected. When I was mentally penning the points, I did not have that much words in my mind. But I suppose my brain is in my fingers. I'm sorry if you are getting tired! The next paragraph is the last!

While I may not have agreed with some of my choices made leading up to this year; I dont regret them. For as cliche as it sounds, these choices moulded me into becoming who I am today. It also led me to experience what I am experiencing now, with the people around me. Even though I may still be the wide-eyed 18 year old, curious to find out more about what life has in store for me tomorrow, I am no longer as naive to believe that fairy tale endings just happen without hard work and planning.

Having said that, I think it is about time for me to come out of my comfort zone and do something I had always wanted to do, but never had the guts to. Something I'll reveal once it has come to fruition.

But if I dont, please don't hold it against me. There's always the next 25 years right? ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! 

(Ps: Sorry I lied, that wasn't the last paragraph!)