Getting old...

The other day was my birthday. I turned a cringe worthy 23... which isn't old for some but it feels old to me! Not too long ago I was turning 18, studying in high school, wondering what University life was going to be like.  At that time I was living at home, together with my then long-term girlfriend, remained close with my amazing group of mates, and still playing drums, video games and having some wild nights out.

Things seemed simpler back then.

Then whoosh! The big 2-1 arrived.  A lot had changed since my 18th, by this stage I was now in my 3rd year of University, had been in my current job for 8 months by that stage, was still with my then long-term girlfriend and still had the same amazing group of friends.  For a while there I was naive enough to believe that this is how it would stay forever.  I know if I had the option to freeze the moment, I certainty would have.  Things weren't always easy, now that I think back on it, but that group of friends, those times of uncertainty and discovery, the prospect of an unknown future, it reminded me of a life I hoped to sustain forever.

I soon realized that was a fruitless dream.

Just after my 21st birthday my girlfriend and I of 4 years broke up, my cherished group of amazing friends split apart spectacularly, I moved out of home permanently which put me further away from my remaining few old friends, and I spent a long time feeling lost and sorry for myself.  Ha, those events are the reason I started this blog in the first place, back in late 2009 when I realized I needed some kind of outlet for what was boiling inside me as my once solid world tumbled all around.

2 years later however, at the ripe old age of 23, much has changed, been accomplished and been realized since those fateful days.  Some for the worst, although thankfully most for the better.

After finishing my University degree I surprised myself by going back for an extra year for an Honours degree, something in which I graduated from and am extremely proud of.  I also went out and took my first steps in exploring the world, holidaying to Queensland (Australia), Vanuatu and surrounding islands, and Thailand, something that seems to have sparked my interest it seems.  I got to teach a class at University for a semester, something that I extremely hope to do again some time. 

And now? Well now I have finally settled down.  I enjoy living away from home, it is nice to have finished my studies (for now), after all this time I am still at my awesome job, and I have made many many new friends in that time.  Now I get to plan for my next step, which at this stage is to move to New York City but hey, who knows what might happen! So much can happen in such short amount of time, and it is absolutely amazing to look back at my 21st birthday and have a snap shot of what life was like then, to be able to compare it to what life is like now, to then wonder how it is going to be like by my 25th.

I don't like getting old, I'd love to stay in my early 20's forever.  What I do like however is the changes, experiences and enjoyment getting old and living life brings.

So with that I say to myself, Happy Birthday, and all the best for what the next year brings =)