26 years & counting

Had a birthday 2 days ago. Just turned 26. Oh my God, I'm old! 4 more years till I turn 30(!). Been on this earth just over a quarter of a century (!!). But what have I achieved in my life?

10 years ago, I would have thought I would have a great job doing something I love (!), married & maybe with kids (!!). 5 years ago, I thought ok, maybe by this time I would be settling down with a job that I like [kinda as a stepping stone for greater things to come (!!)]. But here I am, at 26, still studying, with no job prospects in the near future & definitely not married & no kids...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I'm finally getting my degree that would bring me closer to doing something that I love (which is writing), I have an incredible boyfriend (who wants to get married the day after I graduate, Insyallah), my parents are proud of me & my achievements (not that they never were, but I never really gave them anything to be proud of) & I'm happy... Happier than I've been for a long time.

The reason why I wrote what I did in the beginning is just that it occured to me of a lot of things that have gone on in my life & how different my perspectives have become at each stage. If someone were to ask my 16 year old self whether I would even get into University, I would probably laugh hysterically (it's not that I didn't think I could, wait a minute... I DIDN'T think I could!) & if someone were to ask my 21 year old self that I would actually change the way I thought about polygamy & wearing the hijjab, I'd probably go "Hmmmm".

But all in all, my life so far has been an incredible roller-coaster ride; there were parts I wish I could do again & other parts that made me sick to the stomach (I don't like roller-coasters at all, but the analogy works, doesn't it?) & I wish to thank all the people I've met along the way, who have helped make me who I am today. Good or bad, I am who I am today because of all of you.