Celebrations.

When you're in a company for a period of time as long as I have been, it is remarkable to watch how life grows and changes around you. I've seen children who were babies blossom into people who are lovely to hold a conversation with, friends get married, friends then have babies-all of the things that come with normal life everywhere, but to me something seems odd. I still feel that I'm in a sort of "ballet bubble" in which time has stood still. I'm still that ten year old going to ballet class, goofily running around and annoying the other dancers. (while at the same time being consistently respectful to the art form at all of course-ha!)

I guess the idea of how much life has happened around me and of course to me in ten short years really blows my mind. As a child and teenager it seemed to go by so slowly, and I wasn't aware of all of the changes life brings. Now, I see and remember so much from this past decade.

I thought of this tonight after I attended my second birthday celebration in two days for a couple of colleagues. Birthdays are huge triumphs to me. I am one who considers each added year as a gift. It makes me sad to think that even though I'll be able to stay in touch with my friends here in Kansas City, my life won't be with them anymore. I'll miss seeing the one year old baby of a friend I've known since we were eighteen grow up. I won't be here to celebrate the birthdays of the two colleagues from yesterday and today (along with many others.)

It also makes me sad that those who I am closest to won't get to directly see what I am up to on a daily basis. I find it all so odd, and I haven't decided what to do with these discoveries yet.