June is my birthday month! In honor of this trip around the sun I would like to share something great from this last year, something I’m looking forward to in the next, and some general reflections.

From the last year: I’m an auntie! Both a biological auntie and a friend-auntie and I gotta say, it’s the absolute BEST. All the cliches about unconditional love finally make sense to me. I truly never knew I could love any other being as much as I love these little humans (and I’ve had dogs!). When I first met my Niece, Remi, I had a moment of understanding that I love her immensely, purely because she exists, and then I realized that there are those in my life who love me purely because I exist. How cool is that?! I can honestly say that it has permanently shifted my perspective on love.

In the coming year: I’m very excited about an upcoming trip to Croatia! There is a group of at least 20 people from Santa Barbara going at the beginning of August to participate in a swim trek! We will stay on Korkula Island and go out on a boat every day for a morning swim and an afternoon swim. Rumor is, we are aiming to swim about 5k a day. For reference, a mile is about 1600 meters. Hot dog! Good thing we have started training, both in the pool and the ocean. The things I am currently working on are pain-free swimming (have been rehabbing some neck and shoulder injuries), my swim fashion style, and swallowing less water. So far, things are going great!

General reflections: I’ve had many conversations with friends this year about how adulthood seems to be marked by the reality that at any given time there are both wonderful and hard or sad things happening. Your friends can get married and have to put their dog down a couple days later. Your business can be the best it’s ever been while you’re going through a hard break up. We can have a perfect day in Santa Barbara while knowing the world is metaphorically (and sometimes physically) on fire. It’s happening constantly, within every hour of every day: both good things and hard things. I know that not everyone loves birthdays, but as my Grandmom always says, they’re a lot better than the alternative! I feel grateful for all the good I have in my life and grateful for all the tools I have to handle the hard.

Cheers to level 34!