30's Vanity

I had a lot of good old posts in my MySpace blog. One was called "Twenty-Something Mistakes" in which I soothed myself for the many mistakes of my early and mid-twenties by explaining that in our culture, that is what the 20's are for...experimenting, and learning a few things our parents could't get across to us, the hard way. Now I am 30. At my birthday party, with the guidance of other friends who had already passed this milestone, I realized my 30's were going to be great. I could take with me the good things from my 20's: the lessons learned, the positive relationships I had worked so hard on, a wonderful husband who is also my best friend, and a bachelor's degree that was hard-earned.
Looking back on my 20's, I wouldn't change a thing. They were a good time, while I was there, and even the most painful events eventually made me the person I am that gets to live this life today. But I would never go back. Looking back, I see the good times, but imagingin myself there I remember how hard it was. Running out of money to take classes. West facing brick apartment with crappy windows and a terrible air-conditioner. One full time and one part time job while going to school in the summer. The most severe and insane colds every winter for years plus developing allergies and asthma. Spaghetti almost every day, because I didn't have time to learn to cook anything new, but at least it wasn't Top Ramen. Crappy roomates. Even crappier boyfriends. How does one get through all that and come out the other side? Not without a little baggage.
So symbolically, I said goodbye to all things 20 that sucked and imagined packing a suitcase of all things 20 I wanted to bring into my 30's. My degree and my husband, of course. My cat, who has seen me through most of those terrible 20's. Friends who stuck by me through good times and bad and long distances. My best friend Meghan. My family, mostly happy, and overall more together than ever before.
Evetually, I tossed the lab career and took a huge cut in pay and hours to be a special education assistant, but that is for another day. Yea, 30's! I welcome you.