Growing up

During this time, everyone is going to post about making New Year's resolutions, talking about getting in shape, eating better, and all the normal things.  I tend to not make New Year resolutions because I break them within a day.  Sure enough, if that were the case, I would've followed tradition.  Instead, I'm going to blog about my thoughts on growing up.

I had a fantastic childhood.  I have amazing parents, who are still together and very much in love.  They'll be celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary this year.  I have nothing to complain about.  My brother and I knew we were loved every second of every day.  That is what matters.  We didn't care that we didn't have the best toys of everyone we knew.  We had imagination, that's what counted.  The thing I am going to talk about is how we change...physically, mentally, & emotionally.

First, physically... When I was a teenager, I loved Doritos.  I still feel the love of that cheesy, crunchy goodness.  Back then, I used to astonish people at how I could eat an entire big bag in one sitting.  I was a tiny little thing.  I barely weighed 90 lbs. soaking wet when I went into high school, yet, I could pack away those little triangular pieces of Heaven like nobody's business.  Today, I eat about 5, and can feel them sticking to different places on my body, non-flattering ones, that is.  I curse the fat cells, but I cannot put the chips down.  My taste buds thank me.  My butt & thighs...not so much when I try to squeeze them into my jeans.  Don't get me wrong, I can still fit into my size 6 jeans (the same size I was in high school...and I had a kid), but sometimes, they pinch a bit.

Mentally...I would've liked to have been popular back in high school.  It wasn't on my list of priorities, but hey, if the "cool kids" wanted me to hang with them, I would have.  However, even then, I would never have ditched my friends.  Today, I couldn't are less if I'm a "cool person," and I still wouldn't ditch my friends for anything.  They are remarkable people & I wouldn't trade any one of them in for anything.  Of course, now, I am in with the "cool kids," and I have to say that I like it...and that we're a very open group who accept others openly.  We just like to hang out and have a good time.  Any of my Facebook friends can look through my pictures and attest to that.  We laugh hard, play harder, and love each other (in a strictly platonic way) tremendously.  We laugh together, we cry together, we help each other out.  That's what friends are all about.  Back in high school, I realized this, and I never forgot it.  They say that having one really great friend in your life is a great thing.  Well, my life is pretty spectacular because I have so many wonderful people that I am blessed and honored to call my friends.

Emotionally... OK, what teenage girl (and sometimes boy) doesn't thrive on drama?  Come on, it's in our DNA or something.  We cry at the drop of a hat, we get catty, we give people the silent treatment, and we act like...well, teenage girls.  While I do relapse into moments of teenage behavior, for the most part, I've learned that bring catty or an emotional basket case is NOT the way to go.  Today, I usually try to get to the root of the matter...unless I really don't care about the situation.  I've learned to keep my voice down and my feelings in check.  I've also learned that the shower is the perfect place to cry and get things out.  :-)  Today, I try to avoid as much drama as I possibly can.  It's just not worth it.

When I got married, a friend told me that there are 2 rules to marriage, and to life in general.  Rule number one, "Don't sweat the small stuff."  Rule number two, "It's all small stuff."  I try to take that advice every day.  While we can't cut all of the drama out of our lives, we can choose which situations are worth our time and energy and deal with those.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter what, I've learned to try and stay as true to yourself as possible.  If you don't love yourself, who else can love you?  You have to learn to forgive yourself before you can truly forgive others.  While family is wonderful, and I wouldn't trade mine in for the world, they're just a phenomenal group of people, they're stuck with you.  Your friends are the family that you choose for yourself.  Cherish them all (family and friends), because you never know when it will be the last time you see them.  Don't take life for granted...it's too short to worry about what if's and to waste on being petty.  Live each day as if it is your last and take the time to let the people around you know how you feel about them.