If there ever were clear evidence of time passing, it is felt by me in September, at the end of summer, on my birthday. Each year as the air gets nippy and night comes on earlier, I go from one number to the next, and the march of time is suddenly not lost on me. On the eve of my birthday, the first of September, I was wandering around Manhattan when a single yellow leaf fell directly in front of my feet as if to remind me of time’s passage and the incoming change that will result from it. The next day I’d turn 24 and more leaves would fall. September arrives not only like an exit from summer but an exit from the age I was, from the person I was. It is first a shedding and then a reclaiming. Trees lose their leaves, I get older, and we both are better for it.
This year I have some wishes. I hope nature will be so kind as to grant them to me before the leaves fall again.
24 things for 24:
A good hair, skin and outfit day to occur simultaneously
An apartment in NYC with a lot of light
Gaining another inch in height (I believe in miracles)
A compliment from a stranger
An extra minty mojito
Finding my misplaced passport despite having no international trips planned.
A day without yawning
Oversized sweatpants that don’t lose their softness
Something with arugula and prosciutto in it
Using my library card
One high-maintenance-baddie service (torn between facial or massage)
A who cares attitude
The Breville espresso machine
Career clarity
Good health
More readers (love u)
My kitten to stop growing
Floral sheets
A short winter
A slip dress that works for every occasion
Perfume that’s not too strong
Long walks
A magical, once in a lifetime experience
Growth
Have fallen in love with your writing! Can’t wait to read more
Salena,
I love your birthday wishes. I too hope for a good hair, skin and outfit day to occur simultaneously :). As for breville espresso machines, check your local Goodwill(s) (the less picked over/more expensive area, the better). We found a delonghi espresso/drip combo for $6 a few years ago at goodwill in Maryland.