Feeling fine and thirty-Nine

Im laying in bed on the eve of my 39th birthday with a sinus infection I probably would have partied through in my twenties, and I'm Wondering when I started to appreciate all the little life lessons that brought me to this point. Thirty-nine trips around the sun, Thirty-nine candles blown out, each wish wiser than the last. Somewhere in time, I realized that I will always be my Mom's baby, no matter how much gray hair I grow, and It doesn't matter how much you think you know. Sometimes, you are just flat-out wrong. Perhaps my favorite life lesson that took ages to learn is that of self-love. The act of loving yourself, not only when you feel pretty or powerful or when you lose those ten pounds, but right here, right now, accepting and loving yourself with your "flaws" and scars fully on display, knowing that you are worthy and deserving of being loved and respected just the way you are. Anyone who doesn't think you are enough is not worth your energy. They don't get to feel any of your magic if they can't see how you shine. 

What other wisdom have I gained through the years? The ability to see that shine in others and build a tribe of friends that don't appear to have much in common at surface level but understand each other deeply at our core. And in our differences lie the biggest lessons. Learning about each other's culture and life experiences makes us better, more well-rounded humans that can teach future generations to accept one another, learn from each other and grow a planet more full of love and birthday candles that grant the best kind of wishes.