Dooley Noted: 10/11/2015
Friday, I turned 37.
Something about that age brought back a flood of memories from my childhood.
I remember doing a scavenger hunt for my mother and building posters for her when she turned 37. I was eight.
My dad was 37 when I was born. That one made my head spin!
Friday evening was a night full of contemplation and reflection.
I looked in the mirror at my face, still seeing the same girl I saw at 7, then 17, then 27… and now 37.
Time isn’t the least bit linear.
We live in a world where minutes can seem like weeks and days can seem like moments.
Time passes slowly but accumulates quickly. Before you know it, 37 years have gone by.
One thing you develop in your 30s is a low tolerance for pretensions and a strong need for what’s true and gritty.
Friday night, I was surrounded by people I love, listening to music that moved me.
Afterwards, we feel deep in a conversation for hours on end – until the time passed so quickly that it wasn’t even my birthday anymore.
When you’re young, it’s tough to see yourself even turning 37.
But you have to remember to look in the mirror and see yourself at 7, 17, 27, and now 37.
The only difference is the perceptions you carry, not your age.
In my first weekend at this age, I tore a full deck of casino cards with my (sore) hands and broke a Louisville slugger across my left glute. I did things I never saw myself doing when I was 7, 17, or 27.
I also made huge realizations about my present and future, which are forcing me to make very significant decisions in the coming weeks.
I kept seeing flashes of the woman I am becoming, and the woman I want the universe to experience.
I see the ways I need to change and the people that make me want to inspire by changing.
The reflection is yours to see, and there’s still time for you to see it – at any age.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley
