NOT YET

Erin - I will never be 'old enough'.

I have kind of always thought 'the best is yet to come'... that maybe in 5 years (or 10) I will see something more fabulous, do something greater or perhaps learn something phenomenal - and it is always true!!! We live  in an incredible and marvelous time - and you will learn and see and do things I can't even begin to imagine.

Like my dad - he still is just amazed by Skype and talking face to face with people far away but at age 2 your cousin Cynthia expected every phone to be able to 'Skype'. He (and Grandma) still have a hard time assimilating that all this new stuff even exists!

My great Granny Bohne lived past 105.
 [click link and then scroll to see her]
So I am just a bit past half way ...
Do you think I can make 110?

Maybe I should start planning ....

Do I need to change the way I am, the way I live? the things I do? or don't? my food? or my activities? in any way? ... so I can be healthy and happy now or at that wonderful age ... or any other age I look forward to before then?

How long will you live?

Try to imagine yourself at twice your age ... 34 ...
What will you be like when you are 34 years of age?
Now think ... at 68 ... lol
That is only 4 times the age you are now!

When you were 4 could you imagine 8?
When you were 8 could you imagine 16?

Think of all the wonderful stuff you can do now you are past 16.  Wow - you are just starting out - but you already have lived so much, and learned so much and done so many things ...

Some things we do, we like and want more of.
Some things we wish we could erase -
or have a 'do-over' .

Some things we want
(that are wonderful so we want them now )
and we try to get, or to have them, too soon -
before the best time.

I always eat too many of my peas when they are still flat -
they are good BUT they are better a bit fuller and rounded out.

Some things are best if we wait to the right time for them.

Peaches are most delicious when they ripen on the tree and we can pluck them and 'drink' them in a few slurps. They are worth waiting for.

Every 17 year old feels 'old enough' -
and really IS 'old enough' for almost anything.
YOU could handle it Erin - you know you could!

But will some things be better - later?

You are old enough to plan, think things through and make GOOD choices - to not be pushed around by passing fads and fancies or to just impetuously act on 'a wing and a prayer'.

Welcome to being past 16.

In my mind I am still 17 and maybe next year I will grow up ... in other words, even though you are still learning and growing all the time you are you, and part of you will always be the person you are now.

Happy Birthday.
I miss you - XOXO
And I love you so much.
'Dama Farfaraway