A Pirate Looks at 24

After every 365 sunsets over the ocean, a pirate must carve another little line in the bunk of their cabin on the ship to track the years they have collected.

Years, much like treasure, are valuable and collected somewhat in the same way; usually with trial and tribulation, storms and sunny days, with rum, or more likely champagne, and more importantly both bring adventure and solace. Some years are perceived to hold more value and adventure (21), while some we view with slight apprehension (30). 

When i came to update my blog today I realized that this pirate was no longer looking at 23, but now 24. I felt slightly uneasy at first having to make this change and I have no idea why I had this fleeting feeling. Twenty four years of life is a treasure in itself. 

Twenty three years of making decisions, adjusting the sails, heading into seemingly treacherous waters and coming out fine, has lead me to the exact place I am in. Whole Foods in Austin, Texas waiting to go to the title company to sign the loan on my first house. 

I have lived a highly nomadic life in the past two years. Last September I told myself I would work through the summer of 2014, quit my job, go work on a berry farm in Argentina until my Spanish was good enough, then go find a job in Santiago or somewhere. What did I do instead? I decided to buy a house. That's the beauty of it. This age and opportunity and freedom to dictate these decisions is more valuable than anything.

I want to make a conscious effort to embrace the beauty of every day this year. They say not all that glitters is gold, and that is completely true, but the water glitters at sunset and that is close enough to gold for me.