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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Happy Birthday to Me

I turned 26 today, which really isn't in and of itself much of an event but it's what's going on in my life and clearly you don't have much better going on or you wouldn't be reading this so sit back and listen.. or read.. or, whatever.

I'll be honest, sometimes I question my choices. I wonder if maybe there's a better version of me living in some alternate universe. I could've gone to a better school, chosen a better career, given more to my community yada yada yada. And for some reason, my birthday always seems to be the occasion I choose for this masochistic vision into another world. Which inevitably leads me to get really angry at alternate universe Lea. She went to Columbia. She works at the consulate in Barcelona. She's a published a novelist. She competes in triathlons. She speaks three languages and builds irrigation systems in third world countries I can't find on a map. God, I hate her. And then today, on the inauguration of my 26th year on this planet I call home, it hit me. If there's alternate universe hate-her-cause-she's-too-damn-perfect Lea, than the laws of physics can only insist there is also underachieving-going nowhere-lifetime makes movies where she's the bad-guy Lea. What goes up must come down right? And THEN let me tell you, life just got a hell of a lot better. Suddenly I'm walking on air. You see, alternate-alternate universe Lea, we-he-hell. SHE thinks twinkies for breakfast are fabooo. College is for suckers, and that 4 pack-a-day habit is nothing to worry about. Who needs two lungs anyway, right? She doesn't vote, she never exercises and she pronounces library "libary".

I'm not saying somewhere in the middle is good enough for me, but I do think the gift of perspective is an exceptional present to give myself this year. Happy Birthday to me!