The Green Family

Today is my birthday. I am twenty-three. James tells me that I’m old now. I just say that he’s older. As I mentioned in a previous post, birthdays have lost their luster for me. No parties, no toys, no pin-the-tails…and that’s fine, that’s another phase of life. In the past few years, it’s seemed more and more that birthdays are a time for recollection and review. What have I done in the past year of importance? How has time ruled my life? I think about things I’ve accomplished, things I regret.

When I was 16, I made a list of things I wanted to do before I die. Now, hopefully I’ve got a lot more time before that comes, but I also like to see progress. I’ve included the list here and indicated whether I’ve completed each task.

• Fly a kite.
• Design my own clothing. Check
• Learn how to ride a bike using no hands.
• Go to all states and every continent.
• Find my true love. Check
• Go to Prom. Check
• Graduate from High School with Honors. Check
• Write a published book.
• Produce a music album.
• Read “Phantom.”
• Compose a song on the piano.
• Appear on television.
• Fall asleep on the beach. Check
• Bathe in the moonlight.
• Cuddle at a bonfire. Check
• Learn to drive. Check
• Go rockclimbing. Check
• Go to the Grand Canyon. Check
• Go on a mission for my religion.
• Memorize “The Articles of Faith” again.
• Temporarily dye my hair a weird color.
• Go to a real spa for a facial, manicure, massage, pedicure, etc. Check
• Graduate from college. Check
• Room with my best friends. Check
• Write a missionary. Check
• Memorize sonnets. Check
• Go sledding/ ice blocking at Rock Canyon Park. Check
• Visit my grandpa’s old cabin.
• Record my grandpa’s life history.
• Go out on an actual date. Check
• Be buried in autumn leaves. Check
• Start engaging myself in art again.
• Waking up to watch the sunset on the Point. Check
• Press as many flowers and leaves as I can.
• Make an igloo out of snow.
• Go snowmobiling. Check
• Kayak to Goat Island.
• Go to every Hawaiian island.
• Become bilingual.
• Help a stranger. Check
• Not take Hawaii for granted. Check
• Visit with old friends. Check
• Be surprised at my own birthday party.
• Kiss in the pouring rain. Check
• Teach my brother to type.
• Marry my perfect eternal companion. Check
• Become a mother. Check
• Work in a homeless shelter.
• Make a scrapbook. Check
• Grow a garden.
• Buy a hammock. Check
• Learn to wakeboard/waterski. Check
• Receive my Young Women’s Recognition award. Check
• Keep in touch with all kin.
• Go to the temple. Check
• Eat seafood and cheese. Check (cheese)
• Go scuba diving.
• Go on a shopping spree.
• Get colored contacts.
• Stay out of debt. Check
• Fly. Check (indoor skydiving is the coolest)
• Babysit for free. Check
• Gain eternal life.
• Become who I am.

Not bad, not bad. How does that saying go? I’ve come so far, but I’ve still got so far to go. And that’s good.

Now, to celebrate my “old” age, a song by Yellow Card, “Twenty-Three.”

I got to tell you that he waited all his life

For someone like you to come make the wrong things right

I know he didn’t have the answers all the time

But you can’t tell me that you’ve never told a lie

We’re almost twenty-three and you’re still mad at me

So much that I said to you and I want to take it back now

Twenty-three and it’s so sad to me

You tell the world I’m dead to you

But I know you want me back now

Was it fun for you to watch him fall apart? (Watch me fall)

And suffocate him while you held him in your arms (in your arms)

I swear to … I wish he never let you in (let you in)

And I just hope we never hear from you again

We’re almost twenty-three and you’re still mad at me

So much that I said to you and I want to take it back now

Twenty-three and it’s so sad to me

you tell the world I’m dead to you

But I know you want me back

Wasted on you (wasted on you)

Wasted on you (so much time I’ve)

Wasted on you (wasted on you)

Wasted on you

On you

On you

Twenty-three and you’re still mad at me

So much that I said to you and I want to take it back now

Twenty-three and it’s so sad to me

You tell the world I’m dead to you

But I know you want me back now