24. That’s how old Myesha would be today. It’s hard to not imagine where she would be in life right now if she were still alive. At 24 I was the mom of this beautiful little girl. Myesha was only 3 years old and I was a single mom trying to find my way in the world. Holding down a full-time job and going to college at nights to get my degree.
24 is a beautiful time in your life where you’re finally an adult and there’s no denying it. This isn’t 20 when you’re barely legal, or 21 when you just learned what Cabernet was. It’s not 22 when you got your dream job, or what you thought was your dream job. It’s freakin’ 24, the age where you did all of the above and more.
24. Where you begin phrases with “I’m too old to be…” as a reason to stop yourself from doing things you don’t want to do. 20-23 was like your “twenties-training,” 24 makes you feel like you’re almost 25, which means you’re almost 30, which means you’ll soon be saying the phrase, “Holy crap, I’m old!”
24. Where maybe you splurge on buying yourself more gadgets than you ever have, because you’re 24 and you feel like a grown ass adult. Want that iPhone 11? Put it on your credit card (while cringing), and just keep telling yourself, “I’ll find a way to pay for it!”
24. Where you are probably constantly contemplating deleting one or all social media accounts at least once a month, because you’re 24 so why the hell do you care about how many likes, or comments you got? But you’ll suffer from FOMO, so you decide to keep them all instead, and keep complaining.
24. Where you wonder how your mom had you around your current age and wonder how in the hell she did it.
19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24….. I have been robbed as a mother to not be able to share in the joys, triumphs, tears and laughter of the beginning phases of “adulting” with my daughter.
So this year for her 24th birthday we celebrate for her. We take a shot, chase it with Coke, and sing “Happy Birthday” with our loved ones. Because that’s what Myesha would do at 24. Because hell, “I’m 24 and I can do that!” (In true Myesha tone of voice..lol)
Happy 24th Birthday Myesha. Mommy loves you. FIMHF