As I approach 28 and only two to the big
three O, I reflect back on my twenties and question if I did everything I
thought I would and a massive NO screams at me.
Many people feel sorry for me because I am not married and have no
prospect of soon being married, but I am happy about my twenties. I have not always done the norm and I thank
God for that because it has made me who I am, and I am happy to be the 28 year Celina. Everyone's journey is different, I am glad I have been brave so far to take mine. I know I will forever
stretch and hopefully grow; I look forward to embracing new adventures, but I
have already done and seen far more than I thought I ever would. I have forgotten some of them, but like cells
make up my body so they have made me.
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I have lost myself and found myself in the
process of reaching 28. I stared my past
in the face and won the war, I have found love and lost love, I have made some
of the most beautiful friendships I hope continue for a lifetime, I have taught
the most amazing children any teacher could wish to teach. I have let go of some things and people I
held dear. I still hate Christian clichés and religious nuts, I still over
think so many things, I still have to be careful I don’t drink too much, I still
have to watch my mouth and my sarcasm and I'm sure I’ll have to for the rest of
my life, I still have to remind myself to live in the present and not tomorrow
or ten years from now, I still have to force myself to exercise.
Thankfully it’s not at still here at 28. God
has become someone completely different than what I thought him ten years ago,
thank goodness for that. I have welcomed
some beliefs with open arms and cussed at some for their ridiculousness. To those entering your twenties, don’t get
married too young and stop worrying if you’ll ever get married, date people,
date one person, date no one if you prefer, go adventure, go find wonderful
friends-males and females, go find out who God is for YOURSELF, don’t take
everything they tell you about Him, create your own relationship with Him and
stop mirroring someone else’s. Read the Bible, it’s an amazing book to
discover. You’ll be shocked by the love you find there that is disappointingly
starkly different from the one the church shows sometimes. And don’t just stop at the Bible, read every
book you can get your hands on, read biographies, you’ll find courage through
the stories of others, read History, learn what happened to the place you live,
read poetry, to learn how to appreciate small things, read classics, they are
my favourite, you’ll learn how rich the English Language was, read mystery,
Agatha Christie will show you the genius she is at creating it, read magazines, you’ll
be amazed how dumb and shallow celebrities can be, read the news, know what’s
happening in your world, read people’s Facebook’s post and for heaven’s sake
don’t just stalk, like or comment. Try a
job, heck try ten jobs, I know I’ve tried a number of them, find what you
really love if you don’t already know what it is, try everything till you find
it. And when you have found it, give it everything you've got.
Most importantly surround yourself with
people who are healthy and filled with grace for all your mistakes, avoid those
who you know have no interest for you at heart, or those weirdoes who
constantly claim how wonderful and perfect they are. Find people who will support your dreams and
will not be afraid to give you a proper kick in the ass when you need it, those
people who will be honest with you, those people who will never remind you of
the sins you have committed because they know they are guilty of sins as well.
And you be one of those people too, you will always attract your kind.
Be a
contributor to this place called home, try to leave it better than you found
it.
Then...when you are good and ready, fall in
love and get married for love and for no other reason, not for convenience, not
because you’re turning thirty, not because everyone says you are so compatible,
not because he’s rich. Get married
because that person is your best friend and you want to help that person’s dreams
become reality and they want to do the same for you. When you think you’re ready to be selfless
for the rest of your life, have a couple kids and enjoy the hell of out of them
because children are the most beautiful things I have seen on this earth. They have a special magic they carry that we
somehow lose in the process of becoming very adult. And never ever forget to laugh, no matter how
loud or obnoxious your laugh is.
