Ten Defining Moments

I have heard it said that each person's life is impacted in a big way with ten defining moments.  Those moments that are so huge they act as a reference point so you say, "before this" or "after that".  The moments are not always the same and they can change when other defining moments happen.  I have compiled a list of my top 10 defining life moments up until this very moment, and I have tried to put them in order.

1).  My first kiss.  I was quite young and very naive when I had my first kiss.  I still remember coming home and asking my mom if there was a way to know just by looking a person if they had been kissed.  She looked at me puzzled and questioned why I would ask.  Naturally I responded, "oh, no reason".  Think she knew I had my first kiss?

2).  Going to college.  I was the first in my family to go to college so it was a big deal.  Though I didn't stay in the dorms (and instead lived at home), college taught me independence and opened my mind to a whole new world.

3).  The birth of my nephews and nieces.  All of my nieces and nephews were born within a few short years of one another, and they all spent a lot of time with me when they were little.  Justin was the first one born and he changed my life in ways I never could have imagined.  I loved that little guy more than anything and spent a good portion of his first 8 years of life taking care of him.  After my nieces and nephews were born, the world was colorful and vibrant.

4).  My first job.  Working at Target prepped me for the real world.  It was there that I learned how to be social with strangers.  I learned about confidence, loyalty, and the accolades of doing a good job.  Looking back I now realize it was exactly what I needed to help prepare me for the job I have today.  You wouldn't think that Target would have prepared me for mental health, but it did!  I am a different person than I was before Target, and I am certainly a different person NOW than I was before mental Health. 

5).  Mom's cancer scare.  Some time ago, my mom had a literal pain in her back.  She was convinced it was cancer which in turn created some hard core anxiety.  She had tests upon tests to rule out cancer, which turned out to be one big waiting game.  Thankfully everything turned out great!  It was then that I really began to be thankful for each moment with my loved ones, and I have never taken any of that for granted.  I know how blessed I am to have a healthy family and I thank my lucky stars for it every day of my life.

6).  Moving into my apartment.  Even more than owing my own house, my apartment is a bigger defining moment.  Since I lived at home FOREVER, moving out was a big step.  My brothers say that is when the umbilical cord was cut :)  That is when life really began for me, though.  And I proved to myself and everyone that I can make it on my own.  Not only make it, but make it successfully.

7).  Sept. 11, 01.  The whole world changed this day.  It is the day I learned about pure evil.  More than that, I learned about the strength of the human spirit.  Probably, too, this was the first time I was outside of myself and came to fully understand the impact the entire world has on one little person.  And what an  impact it had.

8).  New Orleans.  The funnest time of my entire life.  Though it wasn't my first travel experience, it was when I first learned how much fun travel can be.  There, too, is where I learned the value of true friendship and the meaning of "I got your back".  My friends took great care of me while I was learning what real partying was all about!

9).  The death of my Aunt Bonnie.  A sudden senseless death that I still mourn today.  I miss her dearly and wish she could be around to see the changes taking place everyday.  I can't help but think about how much she would have loved facebook! 

10).  Menopause.  More than anything else, my life is defined as Before and After Menopause mostly because it happened at such a young age.  It changed my whole outlook on life.  Not for the better and not for the worse; it just changed it.  In some ways it liberated me, and in other ways, it has hindered me.  I do know that my entire life plans were altered the day I got that news.

I think I about covered it.  There are clearly other big moments, but I think these are the biggest defining ones for me at this stage of my life.  Some will remain on this list forever and others will drop off when newer, bigger moments happen.  I think my list is a good mixture of good and bad and that is how life should be. 

If I were to have only one word to describe my life, it would be "balance".  I strive to achieve that and feel most days I am pretty successful finding that delicate balance.  I am truly blessed.