On My 35th Birthday
Today is my birthday. It definitely feels like a weird time to have a birthday. It was weird enough to think about celebrating during a worldwide pandemic, but feels even stranger now with protests happening all over the US, having started in my hometown of Minneapolis.
But, since it is my birthday I thought I might use the occasion to beg a few minutes of your time and share my prayer for myself in my coming 36th year, which is simply to have the strength and the grace to change my mind on an ongoing basis.
I don’t know when it went out of fashion to change your mind. All I know is that it’s hard to do because once anyone finds out you’ve done it, they’ll give you a hard time. Even about silly stuff like finding a new favorite color, “But I thought you loved pink?” “Well I do, but now I also love purple.”
It’s a mysterious reaction because it seems obvious that I should change my mind. Are we not all hoping to be a little wiser than we were yesterday? Do I really want to keep the same opinions and ideas I had at 18, 26, or 30?
If I’ve learned anything in 35 years it’s that I don’t really know anything. Whatever I think I know is probably wrong on some level, and I want the strength and grace to reconsider my life every day from now until the end.
That’s it. No big deal right?
Blog By
About Me
Hi There! I’m Marisa Lerin and you’ll see me around at DigitalScrapbook.com a lot. I started this site in 2010 soon after I discovered a new love in digital scrapbooking. DigitalScrapbook.com has gone through some significant changes since that time and it’s grown into this lovely community site you are seeing now. I am daily surprised by the turn of life’s events that has led me down this path. If you're new to the site, welcome! Here are a few tidbits about me that I hope will help you get to know me better!
I’m originally from Minnesota, USA, but spent a good chunk of my childhood living abroad (in Bolivia and Hong Kong). I returned to Minnesota to attend university, got married and then moved overseas again (Korea, then Jordan and 1 year of traveling). My designs are heavily influenced by these many nomadic years. I am currently back in the USA, now living in the great state of Oregon!
I have no official training for what I’m doing, since I decided very wisely (haha) to study physics in university. I am always learning new things about digital scrapbooking, and this community has been immensely helpful for that!
If I manage to stop digital scrapbooking you will probably find me watching TV, reading or baking. I also enjoy writing for the blog here at DigitalScrapbook.com where I talk about whatever happens to be catching my fancy at the moment.
Monthly archive
- November 2012 (9)
- December 2012 (37)
- January 2013 (17)
- February 2013 (13)
- March 2013 (20)
- April 2013 (26)
- May 2013 (29)
- June 2013 (9)
- July 2013 (8)
- August 2013 (13)
- September 2013 (16)
- October 2013 (14)
- November 2013 (16)
- December 2013 (12)
- January 2014 (15)
- February 2014 (9)
- March 2014 (15)
- April 2014 (11)
- May 2014 (4)
- June 2014 (9)
- July 2014 (8)
- August 2014 (7)
- September 2014 (8)
- October 2014 (13)
- November 2014 (6)
- December 2014 (3)
- January 2015 (13)
- February 2015 (14)
- March 2015 (14)
- April 2015 (13)
- May 2015 (12)
- June 2015 (11)
- July 2015 (10)
- August 2015 (8)
- September 2015 (7)
- October 2015 (10)
- November 2015 (8)
- December 2015 (10)
- January 2016 (7)
- February 2016 (6)
- March 2016 (8)
- April 2016 (7)
- May 2016 (8)
- June 2016 (8)
- July 2016 (6)
- August 2016 (5)
- September 2016 (8)
- October 2016 (8)
- November 2016 (11)
- December 2016 (7)
- January 2017 (6)
- February 2017 (12)
- March 2017 (10)
- April 2017 (7)
- May 2017 (9)
- June 2017 (9)
- July 2017 (10)
- August 2017 (7)
- September 2017 (11)
- October 2017 (8)
- November 2017 (9)
- December 2017 (8)
- January 2018 (8)
- February 2018 (8)
- March 2018 (8)
- April 2018 (4)
- May 2018 (9)
- June 2018 (9)
- July 2018 (4)
- August 2018 (5)
- September 2018 (13)
- October 2018 (19)
- November 2018 (18)
- December 2018 (14)
- January 2019 (23)
- February 2019 (20)
- March 2019 (17)
- April 2019 (14)
- May 2019 (17)
- June 2019 (14)
- July 2019 (8)
- August 2019 (3)
- September 2019 (14)
- October 2019 (17)
- November 2019 (16)
- December 2019 (6)
- January 2020 (14)
- February 2020 (20)
- March 2020 (16)
- April 2020 (18)
- May 2020 (19)
- June 2020 (16)
- July 2020 (8)
- August 2020 (5)
- September 2020 (8)
- October 2020 (10)
- November 2020 (10)
- December 2020 (7)
- January 2021 (4)
- February 2021 (9)
- March 2021 (8)
- April 2021 (7)
- May 2021 (7)
- June 2021 (7)
- July 2021 (10)
- August 2021 (7)
- September 2021 (8)
- October 2021 (5)
- November 2021 (7)
- December 2021 (6)
- January 2022 (5)
- February 2022 (7)
- March 2022 (9)
- April 2022 (6)
- May 2022 (7)
- June 2022 (4)
- July 2022 (2)
- August 2022 (1)
- September 2022 (3)
- October 2022 (6)
- November 2022 (4)
- December 2022 (6)
- January 2023 (4)
- February 2023 (5)
- March 2023 (6)
- April 2023 (5)
- May 2023 (5)
- June 2023 (5)
- July 2023 (5)
- August 2023 (5)
- September 2023 (5)
- October 2023 (4)
- November 2023 (4)
- December 2023 (5)
- January 2024 (4)
- February 2024 (5)
- March 2024 (5)
- April 2024 (2)
Recent Comments
Birthday blessings to you now and through many, many more years.
Happy Birthday, Marisa! I hope you have a FABULOUS day! And thank you for creating such a nice scrapbooking community. And I grew up believing that it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind. hahaha
happy birthday! have a nice YOU day :)
Happy Birthday, Marisa. Hope you have a wonderful day and this year is all you hope for an d much more.
Happy Birthday Marisa. As far as your birthday wish is concerned, I have always been told and continue to believe this ..... it is a women's perogative to change her mind!! And I play this card whenever needed.
Happy Bday! You are wiser than yesterday, so it holds true that you are wiser than your worst year and wiser than your best year! Your question is reflective and we don't always remember logic when emotions are involved. Logic is important, because it is usually based on facts. So remember, That’s it. No big deal! God Bless
Happy Bday! You are wiser than yesterday, so it holds true that you are wiser than your worst year and wiser than your best year! Your years will be better so remember, That’s it. No big deal! Because you are Wiser this year! God Bless
Happy belated birthday and best wishes for another year of growth! Your post reminds me of the caterpillar meme, where the caterpillar is stunned by the butterfly's strange and bedazzling new look and accuses him or her:: Well, YOU have sure CHANGED ... The butterfly calmly replies:: We're supposed to.
Belated happy birthday to you!! Wow, what a dream - to be able to change your mind on an ongoing basis. Somewhere along the way we have gotten ourselves locked into 'no turning back' and while at times, that serves, it is true that it is not always the best option. Best wishes!
Belated happy birthday! I hope it was a good day for you and many happy returns. Your thoughts made me go and look up "philosophy of opinion" ... thanks for the thought-provoking impulse!
Beautifully spoken, just like your heart.
"to have the strength and the grace to change my mind on an ongoing basis" ----- this! It is something that has been on my mind for quite a few months now and even more so with all that is going on around me. I hope you had a great birthday!
Happy Birthday!!!
Hope you have a wonderful Birthday!! Love the pic. Changing your mind about things shows growth- so keep on growing.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
May God Bless you & yours abundantly this birthday, & many other birthdays to come! ...and may He always guide you to make the right choices whenever you want to change your mind! Have a good one!!!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday !!!
Happy Birthday, Marisa! Changing your mind is natural. It's LIFE.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday Marisa! I hope you're able to have a wonderful and festive day despite the current weirdness and worries about what's going on in the world today! *heart*
Happy Birthday, Marisa. May all your dreams come true.
Happy birthday! Changing your mind shows growth.
Happy birthday Marisa and thank you for your thoughts! 💖
Well spoken...here's wishing you a wonderful birthday!
Happy Birthday!!!
Tell them to bite you! :P You enjoy your birthday!!!!
Have a Very Happy Birthday!
Have a Wonderful Birthday! Keep changing your mind, it keeps things fresh and fun!
Happy bihday Marisa!!!
It's very good to change your mind, someone once told me that someone who never changes his mind in life is crazy!
Me to, I think this whole situation has forced all of us to pause and re-examine a lot of things.
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday! Wishing you a wonderful celebration and growing wisdom for the coming years. Blessings!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday, Marisa! I think this whole situation has forced all of us to pause and re-examine a lot of things. I hope that we all come out of this stronger and better people in the end.
С днём рождения,Мариса! Желаю Вам крепкого здоровья.Это самое главное всегда,а сейчас особенно.Потому что всё остальное будет зависить от Вас. Пусть Господь не оставляет Вас.
Happy Birthday! I just turned 39 last month, and in the last few days I've really started to take a look at things I want to do differently for the 40 and beyond stage of life. Things to reboot and things to shut down completely. What's truly needed and what I just keep, because I think I need to. A "spring clean" of life!
Happy Birthday!!! Hope you have an awesome year!
Happy Birthday!Adding yu to my prayers. Big hugs.
Changing your mind is part of growing and learning. People who don't like change have a problem with both concepts. I am not sure if it is laziness or fear on their part but never let them hold you back.
Happy Birthday with lots of blessings for a great year ahead! :)
Happy Birthday Marisa! We are all a bit confused and trying to evaluate things in our lives. You are not alone! (A huge pandemy, of biblical proportions will do that to you I guess...) I hope you feel better soon! Hugs!
happy birthday, Marisa! i will include you in my prayers