Turning 44: Becoming More of Myself
I turned forty-four this year. The number itself didn’t feel dramatic or frightening. It arrived quietly, the way most real milestones do — somewhere between morning coffee and the ordinary rhythm of a normal day. No sudden transformation. No lightning bolt of revelation. Just a gentle awareness that I am further along the path than I once was. And strangely, I feel more like myself than ever. Not a newer version. Not an improved version. Just… more fully me. A Different Kind of Birthday Reflection Birthdays in our younger years often carry a sense of urgency. There is always something we think we should have done by now, something we meant to become, something we hoped would look different. It can feel like a quiet measuring stick held up against an imagined timeline. But this birthday felt different. Instead of looking at what hasn’t happened, I found myself noticing what has settled into place. The life I have built. The home I tend. The family that fills my days. The small...