As of today, I have officially spent 1 quarter of a century on Earth. It’s been a wild ride and I’ve learned so much along the way. I started with the basics like, “Don’t put that in your mouth,” and “You’re supposed to use the big potty,” then moved on to more advanced topics like, “Are you sure you can put that back together?” and, “Never put a girl in a dirty car.” The last of those was one of the most important pieces of advice I think I’ve ever been given. My dad told me that one. I’m pretty sure that having a decent looking truck interior is what kept Stephanie around for those first few months. Maybe it was more than that, but I think the truck had a little to do with it.

This year marks one of the biggest years in my life. It’s the year that I add another person to my small single person universe by getting married, and it’s the year that my car insurance goes down because somehow my age equates to my ability to drive like a sophisticated human. Seriously though, this one is going to be the big one. I’m getting married in a little over two weeks and I honestly could not be more excited for anything. Stephanie and I have been dating since I was 17 and she was 16. Here we are now, 25 and 24, getting ready to officially start our lives together as Mr. and Mrs. Adams. It’s crazy! I never thought this day would come, but here I am getting ready to embark on this crazy journey. It’s way better with two people if you ask me.

Twenty-five is such a milestone. Even making it this far feels like an accomplishment. I even have all my fingers, toes, and other extremities in tact. Some may think that I clearly have lived a life free from danger, which is pretty accurate. Self preservation is a pretty big thing to me. I think I’ve managed to gain a lot of experience in my 25 years here on this planet though, but there is so much more to learn. Everyday poses some new challenge, or new opportunity to pick up on a different skill or just learn a new lesson. The way I see it, I’ve only got about 15 more years of good learnin’ to do before my brain decides its full. Apparently the older you get the less you absorb. I’d like to keep absorbing to be honest with you. That’s how you prevent alzheimer’s disease!

In a lot of ways I still feel like that confused, scared kid that came right out of high school and into the big, crazy world, but at the same time I feel like a man who’s ready to take it on and see what I can get out of it. I did realize today that I’m doing a good bit of things right in this life, though. I think I got told “Happy Birthday” 50 times today between 7 this morning and 5 this afternoon. It’s things like that that re-enforce my idea that your relationships are one of the most valuable things that you can forge in this life. All it really takes is to give a little back to people, and just be nice to people regardless of how they may be to you, or how you may perceive them at first. I’ve made SO many friends over these years and I know or at least talk to about half of them I think. Which is probably overestimating, but I’d like to think that I’ve managed to keep in touch with a lot of people. I’m glad to know that I even know 50 people right now who felt like taking time out of their day to even tell me “Happy Birthday!” I’m honestly touched by it.

So to everybody who may read this, you have made the last 25 years so incredibly awesome. I can’t wait to take on the next 25, keep learning, and keep making friends that I can’t forget. This has been fantastic.