30 + 1

And another birthday arrives.

To be honest with you, I don't feel like my age. I still feel like I'm 25. I don't know if that means I still have some growing up to do. The thing is, I feel as young as I should be. Or old. Take your pick.

For those of you that come here to read my words over the past several months (and I know there are probably very few of you left, if any), you'd know that the 30th year of my life has been really tough. I'm not going to talk about it too much, I have no intention of repeating myself. Let's just say that many things took shape, and though it was a bad year, it wasn't a total waste. Just like Anouk, I don't believe the past year was wasted. It did teach me to be stronger where I didn't know I was weak. And also the fact that things must change or come to an end. And I'll have to get used to it.

So what's next? More changes, I guess. But this time, I hope for the better kind. The one with promise and potential. The one filled with opportunity. The one where I can make something out of something. The one where I can do something and feel good about it. Or even fix whatever that's broken. Perhaps a chance to use all those deep thoughts I keep having for a noble purpose. Anything's possible.

However, if I wanted to be more specific, I wish that things around the 'blog circle' would be back to the way it was. Now it feels like everyone's so estranged from each other. Everyone's minding their own business. Everyone's too busy to care. But it doesn't have to be this way. It really doesn't. All it takes is a step in the right direction.

I have several other wishes, but like the kind that you think of before blowing out your birthday candles, I'll keep them to myself. Anyway, surviving another year is what counts, and as long as I have one good reason to keep breathing, I'll live. And I have plenty of reasons.

By the way, Michael, if you're reading this, Happy Birthday in advance. Peace.