Has It Been Four Years Already?

Today is the fourth anniversary of my blog. It started out as a cute project during my freshman year, an outlet to express my thoughts and outlandish fixations, and has taken some twists and turns since then.

I recently took a trip down memory lane, rereading articles I have not revisited since writing them. Sometimes I can’t recognize the person I was when I first sat down and started this tiny little world of charming little stories. Other days, I think my former self would sob from pure joy at seeing where we ended up. While grasping a face a smidge more tired than her fresh freshman face, she’d ask, “So the hard work actually paid off?” Through tears of my own, tears of overwhelming grace and humility, I'd respond, “Yes, but there's more work to be done.”

I am living out the dreams of a younger self, a self that fought to silence the self doubt, to ignore the judgement, a version of me who had no clue what the outcome would be, but had faith that everything would be okay.

Today is what I would consider the first real day of autumn. Temperatures have fallen, the sky is cleared of rain clouds, and the leaves are finally undergoing their transformation, mirroring the enigmatic fluctuation of a 90’s mood ring.

I think my younger self would still agree that autumn is the best season. She’d be proud to see the evolution of our taste in fashion and skills in cooking and painting. She’d call me an old lady for going to bed at 9:00 pm and be shocked by all the adventures we were blessed to experience.

I wouldn't be where I am today without her, that goofy 18 year old who showed up to campus dressed up as tv characters, that creative 18 year old who dedicated all her time to growing and pushing the boundary of what she thought was possible. I am eternally indebted to her, and hope I can continue to make our dreams come true. Our dreams of being the best person we could be, to see beauty in the mundane, to find joy in simplicity, and to cultivate a mosaic of memories.

Not a day goes by where I don't take a moment to appreciate the place I am in right now, the opportunities I am lucky enough to have access to, the journey I get to be on. We must stay reminded of the bigger picture, the reason we get up everyday, the hopes we have for ourself and the world around us, the dreams we carry, whether they be big or small.

I hope you have all been well, my beautiful readers. Thank you for sticking by me through it all. Today, remember to say thank you to your younger self, the version of you who believed in your potential and acted on it. As always, I hope you have a charming day!