Here are some photos taken by the excellent Hermonie Only for an upcoming movie I’m working on. She took them on November 13, 2011—my 30th Birthday.
To Those Approaching 30 (and those over 30 who think aging is cool)
Guess what, guys! I’m 30 now and it’s awesome! It doesn’t feel any different from when I was 13—except a few things: I’m smarter because I’ve made more mistakes and learned from them. I have more experience in so many things, and I’m more confident—and I know who to steer clear of a little better, so I can keep myself safe. My body is changing, but it’s a welcome change—I feel more beautiful every day, and it’s not about my appearance; it’s about my practice in learning to be love. The more love I cultivate within myself for the world and other people, the happier I am, and the happier I am, the more love I can radiate. My body is becoming physically stronger from my yoga practice, and that’s rewarding, but wrinkles and fat and saggy skin and gravity do not scare me—they keep me grounded, and remind me to love my body by feeding it stuff of the most nourishing energy, and by keeping poison away from me.
Poison could be anything—even the thought that aging is the cruel fate of man, to be met “with grace”. That is the gross thing that has not changed, sadly, as I age and time passes: I thought that when I hit 30, people would stop telling me things like, “Oh, well you’re still so young, wait till you get older and then say how great life is when you lose your health/good looks/cache in an ageist culture”. I was foolish enough to believe that people would stop being patronizing to me based upon my perceived youth—I forgot that there are a lot of people out there that hate their lives. They think life is about duty, obligation, staying young forever, neglecting their bodies, unloving their minds… be gentle on yourselves, older people! Don’t talk down to me about how one day my life will suck and I have to face it “gracefully”. I hated that mentality when I was 13, when I was 15, 21, 22, 23, 27, and yes, now, at 30. I am older than you, so leave my life, dull thinkers. This world is still my oyster, and will always be, as long as there are treats and soft beds and bathtubs, books, sex, loving energy, and the Love beneath the energy of the universe. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and we are to die and be born with the sole purpose of having fun. Consciousness is infinite and all we need and it is fun to be conscious.
So, fuck ageism and the poor fools foolish enough to believe that life is all about being young, and that it’s all downhill from here—I’m happy to finally have climbed out of my youth.
