25. Birthdays have always felt like a strange thing to me, but this year especially has had me in a hold. 25 years, a quarter of a century. Every birthday before this felt like a step toward an ending, like I was running out of time. This year has been particularly wild. Losing Nana, finishing my master’s, shifting focuses, and changing relationships—each moment felt like a sharp turn away from where I thought life was taking me. The past month, especially, has shown me that happiness can exist in the midst of chaos in ways I didn’t know were possible. The best and worst of moments can coexist. We can’t have love without loss, happiness without tears, or stability without chaos. I can feel my whole life ahead of me, and for the first time, I’m excited about being another year older. I have time, I have the capacity to be patient with myself, and I have enough love in my life to keep me going. To the people who carry my heart (you know who you are), 25 years wouldn’t have been possible without you. Here’s to the next three-quarters of a century. 🧡