26

It is no secret to those who know me: today I am 26 years old. It feels strange to roll the number around my mouth. It sounds sophisticated and grown up.

But this is where I am. It is funny to think of what a far-off age this used to sound to me but now to realize how it actually feels. I am still the same person with an ever-increasing number attached to myself that does not really define me at all. I never want to be one of those women who feels embarrassed about her age. I want to be proud of where I have been, where I am going, and where I am now.

26 will be a good year for me. I will finish school, find a new job, work on photography, try my hand at various crafts, visit interesting places, and meet new people. This will be the year I start to step out of my shell and create the life I want for myself.

I finally feel like I am becoming a woman, more comfortable in my skin and more comfortable with myself. I just might end up liking this 26 thing.