Shelle’s Pearls of Wisdom: BDay

Tomorrow is my official birthday, and I turn 45 years old. Four and a half decades. Wow... saying that out loud feels surreal. As I started reflecting on everything these last 45 years have brought me, I realized that there are so many reasons I'm grateful to still be here. So instead of counting down the years, I want to count the blessings.

The fourth reason I'm grateful to be alive is my newfound love for life. Life has handed me pain, tragedy, heartbreak, disappointment, and moments that I wasn't sure I would ever recover from. But it has also given me resilience, growth, discovery, and the opportunity to create a new tomorrow. Somewhere along the journey, I stopped simply surviving and started truly living. I realized that my past may have shaped me, but it does not have to define where I'm going.

The third reason is my health. Many people don't know this, but I honestly wasn't supposed to be here. I wasn't expected to see my 30th birthday, let alone my 45th. I've battled cancer, survived strokes, lived through comas, and fought severe diabetes. Looking back, every birthday has become less about getting older and more about celebrating another year that I was blessed to receive. Every candle represents another victory that I never take for granted.

My second reason is my family. My children, my husband, my parents, my siblings, my chosen family(Best friend), and the people who continue to love me through every season of my life. They remind me why tomorrow matters. I want more birthdays, more holidays, more vacations, more laughter around the dinner table, and more memories that haven't happened yet. Maybe one day I'll even become a grandparent. I simply want the privilege of growing old with my favorite humans.

And my number one reason... is me.

That might sound selfish to some people, but for the first time in a very long time, I genuinely love myself again. I love the person I've become despite everything I've endured. My body has changed. My eyes have changed. My mind has changed. Forty-five years have certainly left their marks, and I'm definitely no spring chicken anymore, but I'm still here. And as long as I'm still kicking, I'm going to keep thriving.

Then there's the half... the ".5."

To me, that half represents everything I'm still growing toward. The adventures I haven't taken yet. The foods I haven't tasted. The sports I still want to try. The places I still want to travel. The organizations I want to be part of. The friendships I haven't made yet. The stages I haven't stood on. The dreams I still haven't accomplished. And yes... be on the lookout for my book, because I truly believe my biggest chapter may still be ahead of me.

So if I can leave you with one birthday wish, it would simply be this: Live life. Don't wait for the perfect moment. Don't wait until you think you're ready. Love your people. Take the trip. Try something new. Celebrate the little victories. Give yourself permission to start over if you need to.

Because tomorrow is never promised, but today is a gift.

Here's to 45 years behind me, another half decade ahead, and whatever beautiful surprises life still has in store.

Shelle's Pearl of Wisdom: Live life. Don't let life live you.