The Template Known As Life, and New Beginnings.

Today I turned twenty.

I'm another year older, and another year wiser.

It seems just like yesterday I was breaking into my first week as a freshmen in high school, anxious for the rest of my high school career, and the adventures it would bring. I look back on those thoughts now, and they still fit the same bill, almost six years later, only they've been transposed to a different template (which from here on out will be referred to as: 'Life').

Many of these feelings are still the same today -- this time as a college student instead of a high school student -- and I'm once again looking forward to my college career, the adventures that I'll experience while in academia, but also the future adventures that are still to begin. The future adventures outside of college. College and it's many adventures are still very much on my mind, but after turning twenty, I had an epiphany: in another twenty years I'm going to be forty. (Yes, thank you. I'm proud of myself as well. Those pesky numbers aren't getting any easier to add up, are they?)

This got me thinking about all of the possibilities that will arise within those next twenty years, and all of the normal mundane human expectations that we as humans take for granted -- becoming a full fledged member of the 'I work my ass off too hard to be getting paid for this crap' Club, falling in love with that special someone, getting married, owning a house, a car and whatever else you can think of, having children and teaching them about God and life and how He expects us to live our lives for him, through His word (for those of us who are religious).

You know, the simple stuff...

I'm fortunate enough to have already found that special someone whom I plan on spending the rest of my life with. Now, I just need to find a stable job and get through college. Then, I can take this template known as 'Life,' and apply it to a whole new set of adventures, which I look forward to sharing with Maggie one day.

But, until then, my academic journey continues, and with enough luck, I hope that it'll never end, especially once I start teaching. Something that I'm looking forward to just as much I am looking forward to one day being married to Maggie.

Today, I turned twenty. I'm thankful to God for getting me this far, and for it not being my fortieth birthday.

My course has already been set: down the path of a new beginning, with many, many more on the horizon. I'm looking forward to them.

God is good!