Yesterday, the day after Christmas, I turned forty. It feels as though a veil has lifted, revealing the vastness of life I once thought I understood. My perspective exists—sharp in its own way—but it is only a fragment of the whole, and for so long I lived believing it was everything. What an odd, humbling moment to awaken to this truth.

I hope to discover the fullness of life, though I admit I am afraid of the paths I will need to take to reach it. Perhaps my inner Peter Pan must finally accept his place in the universe, finding a quiet peace in the art of growing older. For now, he resists.

Still, I raise a toast to this new decade—a season of wonder that I pray will never fade. May it bring moments of joy, reflection, and perhaps a beach somewhere, with warm, humid air carrying the scent of endless possibility.