Photo by Cody Black on Unsplash
Last month marked my 30th year of existence in this world. I am so grateful for reaching this far. As I turn a year older, I also hope I am a year wiser. And so here I am collating the truths and lessons that life presented to me so far:
1. My parents are just like everyone else in this world, trying to navigate life the best way they could. I could have shortened the days I resented them.
2. Friends are not for me to keep. They stay of their own accord. I could have stopped chasing some of them profusely.
3. The way I will relate to people and the world will be mostly shaped by how I was raised and what my experiences are in my formative years. I should have taken more time to understand and process my childhood experience better.
4. Iโll have at least one indelible bully. I could have been more emotionally prepared.
5. My first crush will introduce me to the indescribable and hard-to-control manipulation of my hormones. I should have savored fully and familiarized myself with the feelings the person brought me.
6. Iโd do things out of societal, parental or peer pressure and Iโd beat myself up for it. But Iโll realize I will eventually stop or at least care less about what others think. I should have been kinder to myself.
7. Iโd enjoy types of music Iโll be ashamed of later on in life. But Iโll realize regardless of how bad they were, theyโre my only ticket to revisiting some olโ good memories. I could have been more appreciative of them.
8. Iโll have at least one teacher whoโll inspire me to succeed in life and have a good impact on others. I could have held unto that inspiration tightly as I navigate life.
9. There will be people who will intently or unknowingly erode my self-confidence. I could have been more discerning who to avoid and who to forgive.
10. I donโt have enemies. But there will be people who will feel small or threatened with my presence. There are people who have been hurt too and want to inflict it on anyone theyโll encounter in life. I could have understood these people better.
11. Life can be so unpredictable and experiences so random that Iโll end up deciding to drop the could-haves and should-haves along the way and just deal with life the best way I think I could.
12. Iโll go about this life being hopelessly romantic. Heartbreaks and heartaches will continuously help me decide if itโs worth it.
13. Love is nothing but a word. Iโd associate it with all the romantic themes and parts of movies I grow up watching or have watched. At some point in my life, Iโd think Iโve found it or I will find it. But the truth is, it would only exist for as long as I am associating it with something ( a feeling, gesture etc).
14. Relationships Iโll commit to or ditch will bring color (harmonious or chaotic) into my arbitrary and innately boring life.
15. Iโll have at least one song that I wonโt mind playing on repeat for the whole day.
16. There would be times Iโll care less, hate or be annoyed with my friends. And itโs totally normal.
17. Iโll have my turn of getting overly jealous or insecure and do/feel things Iโd never imagine Iโm capable of. Judge others lightly.
18. Once Iโll lose someone who means a lot to me or is on the verge of experiencing so, Iโll start to feel my mortality on a visceral level. I won’t be ready for it.
19. I would have episodes of curling up in bed or crying my eyes out because of the existential crisis and horror I will experience and feel.
20. I will regret not giving the quiet, boring but seemingly kind guy a chance to show interest or ask me out.
21. Because Iโm not living in a cave, Iโll have the desire to be known and have the riches, influence and/or adoration associated with it. Iโll show this desire openly, unknowingly or secretlyโโโalternately.
22. Iโll be tempted to think I know better than others or Iโve figured out life or at least some of its secrets. But no, life can be a bitch to me and Iโll start seeing people and life with humility again.
23. My insecurity in life and with people will only be as low as how far Iโve put people on a pedestal.
24. Iโll be so broke that Iโll promise to know how to manage my time and money better. Iโd be so down and feel like a loser. But if Iโll learn my lesson here, Iโll be in a better place eventually.
25. There would be things Iโd do in life which I could never dare telling my loved ones.
26. I would end up sharing #25 with total strangers.
27. I would always or perhaps often wish that life would be easier. But when it is so, I would also always or often feel trouble looming around the corner.
28. Iโll try convincing myself to live in the moment or as I planned but Iโll realize that life can be as unruly and as messy as I am when I was a kid.
29. People aren’t necessarily more mature the older they get. They just become more assertive and more self-assured.
30. Think with my gut and donโt lose my sense of wonder.
This is me talking to my younger and older self but if you can relateโโโthen feel free to drop your thoughts and feelings about turning 30 too. Or better yet share your own 30 truths and lessons in life and Iโd be more than pleased to check how life has been for you. ๐
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