Happy 25th Shimms!

2020-12-14

When I was 25 I had a bit of a “mini-breakdown” in the lounge area of my flat in London… it was triggered by two things:
1. the realisation that my “baby” sister was turning 21 and finally “legal” and able to do EVERYTHING regardless of where she was in the world. Which meant that I was “almost 30″… and had done “absolutely nothing with my life”… or at least that was how it felt because…
2. my mother sent me a small box of things that she had found while clearing out my old bedroom. In the box was a “list” of things that I had written for an assignment in 10^th grade where we had to write down 10 things we hoped to do by the time we were 30. Being the “overachiever” that I am, I had a list of close to 100 things… NONE of which I had yet accomplished…
Of course the fact it included things like “travel to every country”, “learn to play the sax”, “speak 8 languages fluently” (I have NO idea how I came up with the number 8… apparently the 5 I did speak was inadequate... ) – actually everything on the list was somewhat “ambitiously lofty” – this fact didn’t actually register with me. Instead I had a complete meltdown because I felt like a complete, abject failure who was never going to amount to anything at all. Since then I have of course burnt the list to free myself from unrealistic expectations…

Ironically, while two things sent me into the funk, it was two things that pulled me out. The first was these two beautiful girls (my flatmates), who dragged me down to our local for a good pint and a couple of games of pool, before sending me packing for the weekend “home” to family for some munchkin cuddles.

Interestingly, this “munchkin” who saved my mental sanity is herself turning 25 TODAY!!
And so I wish her a most fantabulous birthday, full of love and joy and happiness.
I wish I could be there to help you celebrate your amazingness – and never forget you are a gift to all of us. Love you!!