Entering A New Decade

Another Year Around The Sun

As I enter the first days of my thirties, I’ve found myself growing more introspective — pausing to evaluate what truly matters. I’m thinking more intentionally now. What I once believed to be success no longer feels like the standard, and the things that bring me the deepest happiness are, without fail, the simplest ones.

“The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.”
— Hervey Allen

As the years pass, I feel myself becoming more practical and less frivolous. I’m shaping this life — slowly, thoughtfully — into one I’m proud of. The kind of life I want to lead has become clearer, as if a lens has quietly shifted into focus. With that clarity has come a newfound confidence in my direction and decisions. My dreams are clear and simple. There’s a steady calm about who I’ve been, who I’m becoming, and what lies ahead.

I’m deeply thankful for the opportunity to just, be. To take each day as it comes. That hasn’t always been true. There were seasons when I felt a persistent ache for more things, a constant sense of wanting. But contentment truly lives within a grateful heart. And it feels good to finally understand that.

Picnics with family are my favorite way to celebrate anything, so that’s exactly what I requested for my birthday. Carson and Meriwether took me to Nashville’s Cheekwood Botanical Gardens for the day. We spread a soft, freshly laundered blanket over the lush grass and settled beneath the shade of gently swaying leaves. We watched clouds drift overhead while birds carried cheerful songs through the air. A light breeze brushed against our bare feet. We shared our favorite fruits and cheeses, lingering without hurry.

I can’t think of a better way to mark another year.