On Sunday, February 26th, 2017 I’ll be turning twenty-one. It couldn’t be said any better by my parents as “Where did the time go?” Time goes by so fast that sometimes we don’t appreciate everything that is going on. It feels like I was just in middle school where having hair like Justin Bieber was a must, and everyone was either dancing to Soulja Boy or taking their first date to a movie. High School Musical 3 had just come out and everyone including me wanted to be Troy Bolton. It's scary to think that was 7 years ago. The past 20 years have its share of ups and downs but don’t the best of us have ups and downs. I have been blessed with the best friends, parents, siblings, and people who have been by my side for as long as I can remember.
It's been a great 21 years. Each year I have been blessed to grow not just in age but as a person. Everyone talks about the glow up, but for me, I look at how I've matured. I am the goofy guy and I always will be but people have seen me grow in many different ways. This year for the day before my birthday I decided to go cook for the Ronald McDonald House. I could choose to spend the day doing anything I wanted but I decided the best way to spend my last day of being 20 is by helping other people. When I was younger my father would take me to help out the less fortunate from what started as collecting charity to helping with Habitat for Humanity to even this year when I decided to spend Christmas Day volunteering at the hospital. As I get older I want to look at my life as a way of putting other people first and always being able to help when they needed it.
In these 21 years, I have been blessed to know some of the best people. The ones who pick you up when you're down and are only a phone call away. I feel extremely blessed to know that there are great friends out there for me. Whether you are still in my life or not as much as you used to be I want to thank you. Each person who has been involved in my life has been a reason I am the man I am today. I was lucky enough to surround myself with great people who make my birthdays even better. In advance thanks to everyone who is celebrating with me there's nobody I would rather celebrate with (except Rob Gronkowski but that’s a different article).
You might be a little nervous turning 21 and it is very nerve-racking. We wait our whole life for milestones and we want them to be perfect. However, it is ok if they don't go the way you want them to go. When I was 18 for a long time I wanted to have a big party but as time went on I decided that I didn't need one. My advice to everyone who is turning 21 is to not get caught up in the little things. While we are about to turn 21 we have a whole year to celebrate so don't try and stress out on everything.
You are completing something huge so relax. There are people around here for you and they will always be there for you.
As I sit here on Friday which is two days before I turn 21 I can't help but think about how I have grown. While age is just a number as I’ve grown there is another side of me people see more and more every day. That side has to be maturity. While everyone can acknowledge that I am a goofball and energetic I have been able to grow up and become a leader. I owe this to my parents and many teachers. In two days I turn 21. Am I nervous? Very. But it is an exciting time and I am looking forward to this more than anything. To everyone who has known me in at least some part of my 21 years thank you. It is because of you that I am the man I have become today.
