hello, world

as soon as i turned 20 last July i envisioned how this brand new decade of my life would be filled with unbelievable adventures. maybe that's just wishful thinking, but there's this sense of newness and beginning associated with a new decade of life that i love. i feel like there is so much world out there and it's just waiting for me to find it.

putting behind my teenage years was pretty easy. not to say that i had a hard time in high school. quite the contrary; high school was both a dream and a breeze. but, i ended my teenage years on a lower note. 18 and 19 were pretty rough years; moving out of CA and up to UT, living alone for the first time, living in the snow, and dealing with everything that college brings when you haven't quite figured yourself out yet. 18 and 19 were BIG growing years. I wouldn't trade them, but i wouldn't want to repeat them. EVER.

birthday's are funny. you simultaneously feel nostalgic and anticipatory. is that even a word? regardless, i am always way more excited to go into the future. the unkown can be intimidating, but there is so much opportunity to be had! there is so much life to be lived!

i don't remember where this quote came from, but it is so apropos

"too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. they seem to be more afraid of life than death."

Four months in the Middle East starts in six days!