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at what age do you officially become a woman?

10.14.2009


it's here.
today is my 28th birthday.

so have i technically graduated from "girl" to "woman?"
i hardly feel like a grown-up,
yet in many ways i feel so very old.
28 doesn't seem to fit these days.

most of my days i still feel like an adolescent,
trying to figure out who i am, what my dreams are,
what my strengths and weaknesses are.
i am quite moody, shifting from crying to giggling
within seconds.

other days i feel like i've been here for decades.
i have a terrible memory, forgetting most of my life,
i hate loud and noisy concerts,
i'm constantly saying "kids these days...",
and i ache to travel back to the "good ol' days"
{even if those days are myth}


though most days i am quite confused about my age
i have days every now and then that i cherish.
these are the days when i feel i truly am
an "age-old tree"...

a feeling that i have existed long before the earth
and that i will continue on long after the earth
has disappeared.
these are my "enlightened" days.
no fears enter my heart.
only peace and gratitude and awe.
isn't it amazing to be alive?
to watch birds fly,
to feel the earth move
and to see good people all around.
i like this "ageless" age the most.

so here i am.
28 years old.
a woman...almost.


{self-portraits. october 2009}

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

happy birthday! it's my birthday too! i'm 23. libra pride. :) namaste!

Netti said...

Yay!! Happy, Happy day of birth to you! I often feel the same, somedays I'm a Granny, and somedays I'm a confused teenager. But I for sure have alzheimers I think, ha.

Love that last picture of you. So beautiful!

Marte Marie Forsberg said...

First off: Happy Birthday!!!
You are such a beautiful woman, that I am loving getting to know through sweet sporadic comments and emails.
Take it from a 30 year old woman like me;)
I am a girl that can cry in my pillow wining over small and seemingly insignificant errors in life, then I rise to the task and become a woman.
I get up and seize the day, smile as I stride across new daunting tasks or experiences. But at the end of the day, I am not defined, not woman, nor girl, I think I encompass them both and that is, according to my beloved American boy what makes me both cute and beautiful in his eyes.
So I think dear Ann, that as we grow older, we grow more into ourselves. We own ourselves more, are more comfortable in our own skin, and can dance in the meadows of life with a complex and beautiful soul that belongs both to the woman and the girl within us:)
Have a wonderful Birthday!

Celluloid Stalker said...
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Jill said...

You're beautiful! Happy Birthday!

Courtney said...

Happy Birthday Ann! We love you. We'll call tonight after Emma's home from school and piano.

amy said...

Happy birthday! I turn 28 next month and I too find it a mildly disconcerting age. Still I maintain I was a woman the day I got my first period.

I have always wanted to be 65- it seems like a perfect age to me :)

Hope your day is beautiful!

Anonymous said...

likewise miss I was quite pleased to stumble across your blog for just the photography, but when I realized we share this birthday I was thrilled ! consider me a permanent follower and have an outstanding day!

love!
Ashley

Caroline said...

I don't know if you go in for this kind of stuff, but there's an astrological occurrence called the Saturn Return... Basically, every 28-ish years Saturn "returns" to the place it was when we were born, and this makes us deal with all the ickiness we've shoved down for the previous three decades. The good news is that if dealt with appropriately, you'll come out of it with a brand-new psychological skin and zest for life. It's actually a really interesting theory, worthy of a few minutes of Googling if you're so inclined.

Happy birthday!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday

so happy I stumbled upon your blog today. Really intrigued and inspired by what you write.It makes me realize how i am not alone with my thoughts about life, and even though i live in busy crazy London and you in US surrounded by beautiful landscape we still have a common ground. I got really tearyeyed reading some of your contemplations.Look forward to reading more poetry and thoughts in your lovely blog,
have a lovely day!

m said...

from one old soul to another, happy birthday.

Joe said...

Happy Birthday Annie! You are a good sister, hope things are good in Sacramento!

Marie said...

Ann you really are beautiful and talented in so many genres. Just remember you are good and complete no matter what age, mood or phase of life you are in! I hope your day was as wonderful as you are.

Love,
Marie

BAWC said...

happy birthday! you are officially a beautiful YOUNG woman :)

(does that mean you wont be jammin' at a DMB concert anymore?)

april

G said...

Happy Birthday to you, you lovely *young* woman and fellow Libra. Enjoy your 28... from what I've discovered so far on your blog you're doing a great job of being who you are. xoxo

Heather Gray said...
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Heather Gray said...
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Heather Gray said...

Happy Birthday! Your blog, words and images are beautiful. I am turning 28 soon as was just talking about this with someone. I will always be a kid at heart regardless of my "girl" or "woman" status. I imagine that you are the same way. Have a beautiful weekend. xoxo H

comfies said...

a beautiful young woman! your blog is very beautiful and i'm excited to stop in and see your pictures, read your words and listen to your poems and quotes!