Goodbye, 31

This has taken me a while to come up with — and not because I’ve been extra busy or because I’ve lost interest. I just, honestly, never got around to doing it. But better late than never, I suppose? Plus, I do love a good tradition, so you know I can’t bring myself to stop recording a voice post bidding adieu to the year that was.

Thirty-one was pretty awesome. Despite my obsessive need to document things and write things out, I have this sickness (or gift?) that has me glossing over all the gross and horrible parts and looking back over time with rose-colored glasses. I shall consider this a blessing.

In Filipino, those who turn 32 are told, ‘wala ka na sa kalendaryo’ — translated into “you are no longer on the calendar” (given the 31 days in a month) and honestly, I haven’t given it one thought. For the first time, in a long time, I didn’t get the crippling birthday blues I’ve been having the past couple of years, I didn’t make big plans for the day itself and as I look back, there are a lot of things I wanted to do this year that I didn’t achieve, but also a lot of things I didn’t think I would do, that I ended up loving anyway.

I kind of started this blog, I did the podcast (which I really would love to do more of), I read more, traveled some, ate lots, drank too plenty and laughed with family & friends. I went forward one step but slid back two. Made some questionable leaps of faith and professions of god knows what — feelings? But over-all, it’s been steady.

I continued to run then had to stop because of bad knees, I guess that’s ageing. I pretended to play tennis whenever I can; belatedly but completely fell in love with the premier league (and all the handsome football players — who have honestly, where have they been all my life?) but mostly, I just really enjoyed myself.

I still have my checklists - and lots of checklists, plural that go unticked. It doesn’t drive mea s crazy as I used to. I still have my schedule that goes unfollowed, sometimes. And just generally gave less fucks about things. And, it’s been a blast. So if 31 is any indication of what this decade has to offer, I say bring it on. 32. After all the age, seems like an innocuous age and I love that about it.

So thank you, thank you thank you thank you to everyone who’s cheered me on through 31. I am so very grateful. I look forward to 32.