Today marks my thirty-second trip around the Sun.
Thirty-two orbits. Thirty-two springs bursting into bloom. Thirty-two summers filled with golden afternoons. Thirty-two autumns of letting go. Thirty-two winters of quiet reflection.
When I was younger, birthdays felt like milestones marked by candles, cake, and presents. As the years pass, they have become something different. They feel like checkpoints along a winding woodland path, moments to pause, look behind me, and marvel at just how far I’ve traveled.
The Earth circles the Sun at roughly 67,000 miles per hour. In a single year, our little blue planet journeys nearly 584 million miles through space. By my thirty-second birthday, I have traveled more than 18 billion miles aboard this spinning, beautiful world.
And yet, some of the most meaningful journeys have happened much closer to home.
The journey of becoming a parent.
The journey of building a business from dreams, determination, and countless late nights.
The journey of learning that growth rarely happens in a straight line.
The journey of discovering that life often blooms in unexpected places.
Nature has always been one of my greatest teachers. Herbs, flowers, trees, and gardens remind us that growth takes time. A seed does not become a blossom overnight. It rests beneath the soil, gathering strength before reaching toward the light.
I think birthdays offer us the same lesson.
They remind us that every season matters.
The seasons when we flourished.
The seasons when we struggled.
The seasons when we planted something new.
The seasons when we simply survived.
Like rosemary, which has long been associated with remembrance, birthdays invite us to honor where we’ve been. Like chamomile, they encourage us to find peace in the present moment. Like sunflowers, they remind us to keep turning toward the light.
As I celebrate another year, I find myself feeling less focused on the number and more grateful for the experiences.
The lessons learned.
The people loved.
The friendships nurtured.
The challenges overcome.
The dreams still waiting to unfold.
Thirty-two feels less like an ending and more like the beginning of a new chapter.
A chapter filled with creativity, curiosity, growth, and possibility.
A chapter where I continue creating beautiful things with my hands, cultivating wonder in everyday moments, and sharing pieces of nature’s magic with others.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after thirty-two trips around the Sun, it’s this:
Life isn’t measured by the number of years we collect. It’s measured by the moments that make us feel alive.
The laughter around a dinner table.
The scent of herbs drying in the kitchen.
The warmth of sunlight through a window.
The comfort of a favorite cup of tea.
The excitement of a new idea.
The quiet joy of watching something you’ve nurtured finally bloom.
Today, I’m celebrating all of it.
The victories and the lessons.
The sunshine and the storms.
The roots and the wings.
So here’s to thirty-two years of growth, gratitude, and wonder.
And here’s to another trip around the Sun.
May it be filled with blooming gardens, unexpected adventures, peaceful moments, and all the little bits of magic that make life beautiful.
Happy Birthday to me. 🌿✨