how long do you want to be loved, is forever enough?

Here is what I have learned in my 30 years (which isn't much but it might be enough):

#1) Everything is perfect. Including you. You are perfect. Right now. Exactly how you are, you're perfect. Close your eyes. Breathe in. That air? Perfect. That sound? Perfect. Your greasy hair and dry feet and tummy roll and hairy legs are perfect. I'm not kidding. It's all perfect.

#2) You know that place you thought you were trying to get to this whole time? The destination that made you feel guilty and stressed and hurried and not good enough? The place that would suddenly appear when you had enough or were enough? You're there! You made it! It was here, this whole time! So you can stop trying so hard, stop rushing and yelling and getting upset and putting others down. Stop judging, stop regretting, stop worrying, stop waiting, stop looking back, stop wishing, stop planning, you're here now. And it's perfect. Did I mention that already? It's true. You're here and everything is perfect, including you.

And I'm 30 now, I feel old and young and loved and lonely and selfish and sweaty and grateful and tired and creative and content and I'm here. And I'm perfect too.

06/23/2006 - 12:02pm

self portrait tuesday

i am almost 30 too, and I

i am almost 30 too, and I feel the same way…most of the time :) thank you for sharing this! …I enjoy reading your blog :)

how did you know i had dry

how did you know i had dry feet, greasy hair, hairy legs, and a tummy roll?!

again happy b-day, hope your

again happy b-day, hope your having a good one! just wanted to say your blog entry is just perfect!! looking forward to reading more of your blog.. didn’t know u had one!

Happy Birthday! I turned 30

Happy Birthday! I turned 30 a couple of years ago and it started a period of reflection for me. It became more clear to me what was really important in my life and, for the first time ever, I began to feel really comfortable in my own skin. The 30s are a good time :-) I really enjoy your blog also!

I couldn't agree more with

I couldn’t agree more with your realizations. We’re all perfect. Everything is perfect.

And even though we’re perfect, we still have a capacity to learn more and love more. As a good friend of mine once said: We’re complete, but not finished.

beautiful

beautiful beautiful post…. i’ve bookmarked you!!

By a strange life

By a strange life serendipity, as I re-read this post, the song that the post’s title is from came on. As you wander through this troubled world - In search of all things beautiful - You can close your eyes and you’re miles away - And hear my voice like a serenade Gorgeous. And so is your post. And so are you. Thank you for sharing.

Liz, when I was writing it

Liz, when I was writing it the Death Cab for Cutie song "Your Heart is an Empty Room" came on:

But you shed not a single tear for the things that you didn't need

Cause you knew you were finally free

Happy Birthday Cori! What

Happy Birthday Cori! What wonderful realizations you have come to thru your thirty years. Thankyou for sharing them. I can’t wait to get to where you are today.

Wonderful 30's

beautiful post!!! Will have to bookmark this and read it on those not so perfect days and remember everything really is just fine!!! In fact I hada baby just before I turned thirty and my thirtieth year could not have been more perfect!!! To see the world in a whole new way and realise that so many of the things you stressed and worried about before are just no worth the time and anguish, that there are so many more important things now and to look forward too!

in my (sometimes) humble opinion