I turned 28.

Twenty-eight. Three more and I'm officially out of the calendar. As a matter of fact, if it is not a leap year, my age would be the last date of February. For the over-thinker that I am, I hope this letter may always remind me that I am doing well.

June 10, 2018

Iselle, 

IF you ever find a chance to read this in a few years time, I hope you will still feel special. You are loved, you are cared for and you can always be a better version of yourself regardless of the numbers. Every birthdays are similar to New Year's; you will get to assess what you have achieved over what it is you plan to do. This past year has been very good to you. You have been married to the man you love, and although it is a constant adjustment, this chapter is beautiful and exciting. You yearn for the adventures, you are courageous and unafraid to try new things because every time you hesitate, there is always a hand that will pat your back and assure you it is okay.

There were moments when you were younger that you have bloomed, but this year, not only did your petals blossomed, you also developed thorns. You were bold to try a few new things. Few but still worth recognizing. No one can hurt you regardless if you have mastered it or not. That is what is lacking to you before, you neglect to acknowledge your small wins and always thought that the measure of success is through achieving "big" things. But now, you realized everyone is an achiever in their own way. 

You are still contemplating on where you are at the corporate ladder, but instead of lurking, you think that the best thing you could do is to treasure every learning you get from your mentors and colleagues. For the first time in your seven years of working, you find peace in mediocre things. You realize that we have different meanings of the word "success." We are all unique, we are all different. Job titles are all but titles, the greatest fulfillment comes in accepting and understanding what you want to do and where you want to go in your life.

You have a lot more to learn as a person. Whenever you look back at your past self and your flaws magnified, you are matured enough to not keep any regrets of how your life turned out. Instead, you were thankful for the bumps and turns, for the obstacles and hardships, for the times you had your heart broken. Because these are all crucial in molding you as the individual you are at present. It gave you hope that one day, just like now, you are going to change for the better.

You used to think of what it feels like to hold birthday parties because the last time you experienced it was when you turned one. But every single time that the day is nearing, you end up appreciating that the perfect way to celebrate it is when you are at peace and quiet, just enjoying the company of your loved ones. You understood how important it is to keep meaningful and deeper connections especially with your family and close friends now that you don't get to see them often. Regardless of distance, they will always be your refuge.

I hope from this day forward, you continue to age gracefully. Always be kind, humble and simple; not only does it suit you but those are the attitudes that people around you loved about you the most.