The Big 2-5

I’m 25.  As my brother kindly reminded me, I just had the last birthday anyone will remember or care about for at least 5 years.  I am now at that age where I absolutely cannot deny that I am in fact a “grown up” and actually responsible for my own life (uck).  I am at that age where I recognize, across the board, that my mother was right.  I am at that age where I have just the starting twinge of wisdom and life advice to impart to the bottom half of my generation.  I am at that age where I start using the phrase “I am at that age where”.  In thinking about my life, all 25 years and then most especially this past one, two thoughts struck me most:

1. We must be happy in our lives.  God created us why?  To be joyful!  To live in love and love living in it.  He never intended us to “just go through the motions” or to sacrifice our happiness for the sake of perceived responsibilities.  If we are dissatisfied or stagnant, that is a problem we need to act on immediately.  Ultimately, only we are responsible for our lives.  We cannot sit in mediocrity or idleness.  That’s not God’s plan for us.  His plan, as His love, is grander and more wonderful than we could even imagine.  So do what makes you happy!!!  Yes, it is that simple.  Spend your time with people who make you smile and laugh and think good thoughts.  Do the things you enjoy doing.  Be fulfilled.  Those feelings of inner joy, satisfaction of the soul, and inspired energy are God lighting a fire in our hearts.  He wants to give us His Kingdom of Heaven so much that he makes it possible to experience a piece of it while still on Earth – if we want it.  The choice is ours.

2.  There is a holiness that pervades life.  Each moment of our lives, every millisecond, is important and miraculous and should be celebrated.  I mean, think about it for a second – we’re alive!  God loves us so much that He breathed life into our bodies and souls.  Every moment is divinely planned, and thus cannot be anything but deeply and profoundly holy.  Every experience, however minute or seemingly mundane, is in His plan.  Appreciate that walk with the dog, the drive to work, that cup of coffee.  Think getting ready in the morning is meaningless or valueless?  Remember that Jesus is there with you!  Bam – that moment is now sacred.  The same need to appreciate life goes for painful experiences as well.  God doesn’t say, “this is my plan for you, but I’m sorry, you’re going to have to deal with xyz in the process.”  Instead, he says, “xyz all are hand-crafted experiences put specifically in your life by Me for countless reasons you will never understand."  He has a hand in everything.  He Himself is in everything.  Therefore, bless and praise every moment as holy and divine.

Of course God decided to speak to me loud and clear on my birthday so as to give me a hint as to what the new year has in store for me spiritually.  I have a book with all the mass readings for 2013 which I bring it to mass on Sundays so I can follow along (weekend masses are said in Zande).  When I opened it up on my birthday, I was very surprised to see that the illustration was the headshot of a redheaded, blue eyed woman.  God was telling me to pay attention!  The Gospel reading was one I need to hear often, the story of Mary and Martha.  Basically, the story goes that Jesus came to visit the home of two sisters, and while Martha tended to the work of serving Jesus, her sister sat down to listen to him.  Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the best thing to do.  I need to be more like Mary.  I need to slow down, come to a full stop even, and just BE with Christ and his people.  Message received.  This past year has been full of many changes in me.  For this next year, I am clearly supposed to focus on becoming a Mary.  It’s amazing to me the ways God gets my attention.