I am mine

I turn 33 tomorrow. It's nothing spectacular, it's not a land mark, it's really just another day in which I grow older, and I hope, wiser.

Since I celebrated my last birthday my life has been pretty fucking good.

On my 32nd birthday, for the first time in our three year relationship, my fiance and I celebrated my birthday together. We spent 3 months living together in the same house, and it was pretty good.

I got an incredible promotion, which was recognition for two years of hard work and for years of public service, which I'm incredibly proud of.

And I got to take long service leave, a reward for my eight and a half years of serving the public. I got to spend three months living in San Francisco, experiencing a whole other life of pleasure, relaxation, and getting to know the life my fiance lives.

The greatest thing I've gotten out of the last 12 months, though, is the sense of self that I've been trying to develop over the years since my separation and divorce. And I've decided I'm pretty awesome, and more than that, I can say "I am mine" with delight and pride.

I am strong. I am self aware. I am me.