Today is my twenty-third birthday.

I was born September 30, 1990 to my parents, James and Charlotte Taylor. I’m the first of three redheaded, fair skinned girls with sass, wit, and style.

I’ve never not been Melody Elise Taylor Rich. (Well, Rich came later.) I’ve never not been redheaded and fair skinned. I’ve never not been stubborn, Type-A, dramatic, and sensitive. My family has always been James, Charlotte, Shelby, and Rudy.

These 23 years have been an absolute gift of learning myself and who I am. From the day I was born I was given this puzzle with thousands of pieces and each situation and each day gives me new experiences to realize where each piece fits. It’s so odd to me that I could be born myself but still have so much to figure out about who I am.

Last year I turned 22. These last 365 days have… hurt. They have pulled and stretched me into new directions and forms. I’ve experienced some things I pray I’ll never see again and other things I pray I do. God has shown me his abundant grace and sweet mercy time and time again and I’ll never get tired of feeling that wash over me.

My prayer for this year is a continuance of His awakening for me. I pray that He would continue to pull me in new directions and teach me more about who I am in Him. I want to see myself like He sees me.

As far as goals for myself I want to become self-sufficient and independent. I owe my family a deep debt of gratitude for seeing me through this year and to Pat for handing me an incredible job on a silver platter. But this is a new chapter for me. I’m a single adult woman with the world at her feet. I want to live in an apartment, just me and Pepper girl. Buy only chocolate for food and save for ridiculous material things. Take road trips spontaneously and spend every weekend at a concert.

There are a lot of decisions left for me but more is left unwritten. I’ve got no plans, no deadlines, no timelines.

I am so excited!

 

I’m twenty three. Let the future begin.

 

 

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