The Big Two-Nine.

That's right, today is my birthday (!). I'm 29 years old. Almost 30 and I'm not even worried about it--just in awe at how quickly life passes by. 

It's funny, because over the past couple of years, I've had a bit of an issue with my age. Not that I felt too old, but quite the opposite--I felt younger than a lot of the people that I worked with, and thus, felt that if they found out my real age, they wouldn't take me seriously. 

I worried that my students would discount me as a yoga teacher if they found out that I was younger than they thought I was, I worried that the people I managed would feel uncomfortable being managed by someone who might be younger, less experienced than they were/are, I worried that I would lose blog readers if they found out that I had only been alive for 26, 27, or 28 years. ["What does she know? She hasn't been around long enough to have really lived or gained any wisdom!"]

But, for some reason, over the past year or so--my 29th year in this body, this life--I've let go of those worries. I've found peace with my age, with where I am in my journey, with the fact that some people are older than I am, some people are younger than I am, and that we're all in this together, just living our lives.

It's true that I many not have been around long enough to experience some of the things that my older students or friends may have experienced, but I think I'm okay with that. As a yoga teacher, a writer, an artist, I will always be a student. There will always be more to learn, more to incorporate, more to work with, and I hope that whether I'm 30 or 50 or 100, I can still be open to change, to growth, to acquiring new skills, to embracing a beginners mind. 

When I'm 45, I want to be eager to learn new skills or new ideas from a 25-year old. I want to embrace my age--no matter the number--and I want to be thankful for the years that I've been able to live and all that they have taught me. 

Usually, on my birthday, I reflect on the past year and set intentions for the year to come, but since it falls so close to New Years (not just this year, every year, ha!), I think I'm going to save that reflection for a later post this time around. 

Instead, today, I want to enjoy my first birthday living on the Cape. I want to revel in the fact that we get to pick up the BEST little birthday present ever on Sunday (*fingers crossed*), and I want to be present in this new place. There will be plenty of time for reflection over the next week or so, don't you worry ;) 

With that, I'm off to take my first yoga class in my 30th year. Thank you for all who have already wished me a happy day--it means the world ;) 

PS. Yes, you read that right--we're getting THE DOG!!!! Ahhhhhhhh! I posted a pic of her to Facebook yesterday, and was going to post a big pic of her here today, but Ben said that he didn't want me to jinx it--and that I should wait until we actually have her in our possession before I go too crazy--so that's what I've decided to do. I hope to be posting an introduction and lots of pics on Monday! 

In the meantime, enjoy her precious, smiling little face in this pic :)