On Being 25

I turned 25 a week ago and it has been a whirlwind ever since. I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday, but I was also in the midst of packing, cleaning, and saying farewell to all of my new friends in Washington, DC. On Sunday I completed my year long internship at a Lutheran congregation in Washington, DC. I was so busy that I kind of didn't even get a chance to reflect on what being 25 was like. Today I got the chance to reflect.


I am currently in Gloucester, MA on vacation. I took the Megabus from Washington, DC to Boston, MA. Then I took the "T', Boston's Public Transportation. I had to transfer trains once and then I had to board the commuter train that would take me to Gloucester. After arriving at the station in Gloucester I had to hail a taxi to take me to the house I would be staying at. So, I left my house at 7:30AM on Monday and arrived at the house in Gloucester at 9:30PM. It was a crazy day of traveling, but worth it. It was dark when I arrived so I had to wait until morning to see the beauty of this place. It was totally worth the wait. It is so serene. I can see the ocean from the window of the house and spend most of my time sitting at the kitchen table watching the waves crash into the rocks.

So how is being 25 different than being 24?

• At 24 I didn't know anything about public transportation. At 25 I trusted myself to figure out a new public transportation system in Boston.
• At 24 I never would have vacationed by myself. At 25 I am vacationing by myself and loving it (except that I don't have anyone to take my picture).
• At 24 I struggled to eat dinner without some other form of entertainment. At 25 I am content to eat and not turn on the television or surf the internet.
• At 24 I didn't really like the way I looked in a swimsuit. At 25 I look a lot better than I did last year.
• At 24 I had never lived alone without the instant community of college or seminary. At 25 I can say I survived living alone for an entire year.
  
• At 24 I couldn't rent a car without paying an arm and a leg of overage fees. At 25 I can rent a car without the extra fees.
• At 24 I would have an occasional drink at Starbucks. At 25 I am a Gold Club member (not sure I should be proud of that).
• At 24...well I was 24. At 25...now I am 25.

Here's to a wonderful year of being 25 and loving every minute of it!