Today, twenty-six years ago, I was born. My mom was 27 years old and my dad was 25. Now I’m in the middle of that.
Do you ever sit and wonder what makes us us? I am fascinated by human behavior & thought. When I was a child a waitress was just a waitress, but now I look at people I interact with every day and wonder what their family is like, what do they do for fun, do they have dark secrets, why are they here and where do they want to be? It’s insane that each and every one of us has a complicated, diverse, unique web of coding that makes us (and our lives) so radically different. Even my brother & I are different despite the same upbringing. I don’t know- I just find it really interesting.
So today I officially have 26 years of life under my belt. That’s not much to a 76 year old, but a six year old would find me pretty ancient. In the grand scheme of things, I’m not doing much right now. I’m not climbing a corporate ladder, I’m not tracking my ovulation for babies, I’m not working toward a degree, I’m not planning a wedding or a vacation. I’m just kind of existing today. Surprisingly, I’m ok with that right now.
It’s odd to try to track how I got here… If my parents hadn’t made me march high school band I wouldn’t have met K. If I hadn’t joined an independent drumline and met a girl named Kelsey then we wouldn’t have Lylee. If we’d have listened to our realtor and not gone through our house (b/c it was in an old flood zone) then we wouldn’t be where we are and we wouldn’t have been ready for a second dog and Enzo wouldn’t be ours. Life is so darn weird. I’m sure there are missed opportunities that I’ll never know about, but I’m pretty thankful for the taken opportunities thus far.
I have nothing witty or smart to leave you with today; I’m just reflecting on my existence. I’m very grateful to have been born to my parents. I feel so blessed to have been gifted a brother. When I think about the string of events that led me to K I honestly want to cry. In conclusion, I’ve just had a very nice 26 years.
I recognize that people are born into different situations. I know that some people make poor decisions or have tragic things happen to them. I know that my life could turn in an instant. So as a birthday gift to me, I ask you to do something nice today- whether for yourself or someone else. And extend a little grace when dealing with frustrating people and situations. Maybe pick up an extra bag of dog food when you’re at the store and drop it by your local shelter. Or just take 5 minutes out of your day to think about the things that make you happy.
That’s it. That’s all I’ve got. Now I’m off to work with a birthday coffee in hand ❤︎
Life as Louise 
Happy Birthday Audrey!! Hope you have an awesome day!
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Thank you, Elyse!
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I love introspective posts! And the whole question of “what makes you you?” is fascinating. If you believe in fate, I guess it’s not that mind-blowing but if you don’t? Life really is just a series of amazing coincidences. My family almost moved across the country when I was in high school and if that had happened, I never would have met Ryan. If he hadn’t joined the military and gotten stationed in DC, I never would have picked him as a potential match on that dating site. And so on and so on.
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I’m religious/spiritual, but I’m undecided on fate. I don’t think I necessary believe it’s all planned out. Haha. Just some reflections 🙂
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Happy Birthday!! It’s so crazy to think about the ‘what ifs’ of life, where you’d be if something hadn’t happened just perfectly. It’s amazing.
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Thank you 🙂 I play the’ what if’ game allll the time. I’m sure there are choices that would’ve taken me somewhere else just as happy/successful, but I can think of A LOT of ‘what ifs’ that would’ve made my life awful. Yikes! Lol
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Happy birthday!!! and hell yes to “just being”. Life doesn’t always have to follow a schedule or plan nor path — sometimes that’s the best way to live life. besides, there’s always time to formulate a plan later on but for now, just being is a great way to experience life.
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Thank you! ‘Just being’ would’ve driven a younger version of me nuts (and sometimes I do get twitchy still), but for now I’m perfectly OK with it.
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I think there is nothing wrong with just being. That is what life is about in between the big events. And those can be some of the most important parts. Happy birthday!!!! I hope you have a great day!
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I think the ‘just being’ is what preps you for the big stuff- both good and bad 🙂 Thank you!
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I hope you do something amazing for yourself today.
I think its a great year when you aren’t doing anything ‘life changing’ – those corporate climbs, those ovulation charts, those wedding plannings, the house movings… stillness is good. & prepares you for the next life adventure that is surely coming your way.
happy birthday beautiful one!
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Thank you! (I’m still so HAPPY that I got one of your headbands as a gift!! Now I just need some cool weather to wear it out in!)
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Happy birthday, my beautiful friend! This is so simple and beautiful. “I’ve just had a really nice twenty-six years.” Love this.
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Thank you, thank you! Sometimes it’s important to just stop and say, “I’m happy.” I feel so lucky that I can genuinely say it 🙂
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Happy birthday, Audrey! Hope you have the best day! 🙂
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Thank you, Olya! And thank you for the IG comments/compliments, too! I’m horrible about responding on there!!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIEND!!!! Your reflections are so deep–I think families and people are so interesting. How fun that you got to meet Kyle in marching band!
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Thank you!! (And I looooove my fall sign now hanging in my dining room!!)
Kyle was actually helping out with band when I met him! He had just graduated and was helping with percussion because they were short-staffed. I was a saxophone player until high school and I said I wasn’t doing band unless I could do percussion. So if I’d never switched instruments I’d have never formed a friendship, then relationship with him!
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Happy Birthday! 🙂
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Thanks, Michelle!!
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This is so sweet and so true! Happy Birthday to you! 🙂 I wonder about others all the time, and I look at KC and wonder about how I got so lucky all of the time. It’s good to be reminded how lucky we are! 🙂 I hope that you have your favorite year yet, and a great day celebrating! I will have to think of something nice to do… 😛 XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
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Thank you! (I have a super mushy post lined up for Friday because it’s our 9 year dating anniversary, haha.) It’s so crazy how life works out!
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happy birthday lady! enjoy the day, i hope it’s as wonderful as you are. 26 looks good on you!
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Thank you, thank you! I was hoping Baby Zee and I would share a day! Haha!
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You’re so, so right – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with contentment at all. Nothing.
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It’s like a comfortable couch and a warm blanket- you can’t always stay there forever but it’s a nice place to rest 🙂
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Happy Birthday, love! I think my favorite line of this is “…I’ve just had a very nice 26 years.” I hope your next 26 are even better. 🙂
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Thank you, Lindsay!
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Happy happy birthday!!! I love your thoughts here. And I will be doing something (yet to be determined) kind in your honor tomorrow, just because you said to. ❤
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Hahaha, thanks, Lisa! I still need to drop some puppy food off at our shelter 😉
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happy belated birthday 🙂 i love reflecting on my existence. and you are right, i totally look at people differently now than when i was a kid. a waitress is so much more than just the person bringing me my food, and i always try and remember that.
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Thank you! 🙂
I think it fascinating to hear people’s stories or to watch them and try to guess what brings them to this place right here, right now.
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A day late and a dollar short. Happy birthday!
I get very reflective around my birthday. Love your second paragraph, I also like to think of what makes us us and how did I get here?
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No worries! Thank you!
This post started with one thought and just kept evolving, haha!
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Happy late birthday (again)!
I often have that thought of how everyone has a story and everyone is so different when I’m driving. I look at the cars and I’m like, “Where is that one going? And that one? And that one?” and it blows my mind! It’s pretty crazy to think about the things that shape our lives. If Michael or I had gone to a different school we might not be together (even if I went to my second choice school, which happened to be the school he went to, we might not be together).
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It’s CRAZY. I have so. many. what ifs. Especially after 9 years (with K)- there are a million decisions I/we could’ve made differently. It’s insane to think about!
Thank you!!
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Happy belated birthday! I hope it was fantastic. I think a lot about big questions like that too. It’s both fun and scary!
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Thank you! Yes! “Fun and scary” is a perfect way to describe this thought process- haha!
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Happy birthday Audrey! I think about these things a lot. Like, my parents didn’t meet until they were 33. If they had gotten married to other people earlier in life, I wouldn’t be here. If I went to the ridiculously expensive college I wanted to go to but couldn’t afford, I wouldn’t have been in New York to meet my husband. I’m glad you’re you and I will remember to do something nice in your honor this weekend as we travel to California. Airports are the best places for random acts of kindness since they are so stressful haha!
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Thank you!! It’s so odd/crazy/wonderful how things work out! Enjoy your trip!!
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Reflecting on your existence is a good thing to do from time to time. Happy belated birthday.
Here’s a fun tidbit about the age 26 for me: When I was younger and Prince’s “1999” was released, I did the math. I’d be 26 when it was time to party like it’s 1999. And, yes, I thought 26 was ancient. ha!
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Thank you 🙂 It didn’t hit that I was 26 until I saw it written out this weekend. When I saw it I was like, ‘Wait, is that right?!’ Haha!
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Such a lovely birthday post! And happy 26 years to you!
You know, it’s funny, but I actually have no idea how old my parents were when I was born. Now I really want to go ask them…maybe I will…
Anyway, hope your day is stellar! I’ll try extra hard when we go out to my daughter’s Well Check appointment for some random act of kindness I can do in your honor 🙂
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Thank you! And thank you!
I’m so obsessed with age and milestones- I don’t know why. It’s so interesting to me to learn when people got married or had kids or any of that. Haha!
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Happy belated birthday! I turned 30 this year and was freaking out about it as well, but as it turns out, 30 feels just like 29 did. Lol.
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Yeah- 26 is very similar to 25… But I feel like 25 was more similar to 24… Haha. Oh well, no going back now 🙂
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