The Catholic Hippie

Don’t ya love a clean slate?

A new day, a new week, a new month, a new year… <sigh> I just love the thought of a fresh start.

I know, I know…  it’s not January. 

This new year is marked by my recent 35th birthday. 

There’s something about this birthday…

Is it the “advanced maternal age” stigma attached to pregnancy at this age? 

Is it the fact that this is the age my mother was when she had me? 

Is it the fact that I am sadly catching up to my big sis who graduated from life 4 years ago, just a few months shy of her 40th birthday? 

Most likely a little bit of all of this.  But mostly, I’ve decided, it means that I have to really start being an adult (yikes!).  A little absurd, I don’t mind admitting, considering the fact that I am married, have 4 kids, and work part-time as a nurse.  Maybe it has something to do with being the baby of the family (by a stretch of 7 years) and always yearning to “catch-up”.  For years, I honestly thought I’d never grow up!

Well, here I am…

And it sure is true… the grass is ALWAYS greener… <sigh>

All that being said, I usually start my “fresh starts” with lofty goals and aspirations of perfection that are quite laughable and quite impossible… and this time is no different. 

Well, maybe it is…

Don’t get me wrong, I still have my lofty goals, only this time I don’t delude myself that I will achieve these goals immediately.  Patience is one of those adult-type emotions that has always seemed just slightly out of reach, especially with myself.  But you gotta start somewhere.  So the first resolution of my 35th year of life is to allow myself enough time to really become the woman God created me to be, and to forgive myself for not getting there overnight.

So here goes…

2) Talk less, pray incessantly, and attend Mass as frequently as possible

3) Become a better Wife and Mom

4) Become a better person (daughter, sister, friend, random stranger, etc.)

5) Eat vegetarian, preferably vegan (with some exceptions… more on that later)

6) Achieve a healthy weight and exercise regularly (yoga!yoga!)

7) Begin actively pursuing a vocation in holistic healing (as opposed to the western medical model to which I am currently an indentured servant)

8)Commit to regular volunteer work/community service

9) Participate in social/political activism

10) Start a blog!

I know what you’re thinking… “what? no world peace???”

One day at a time… and as a wise woman once said…

“When one day at a time is to much; break it down to 15 minute increments”