54 Today

I turned 54. It feels like time moves faster every year. When I was younger, a year seemed to last forever. Now it feels like I blink, and another birthday is here.

I have never been someone who needs a big birthday celebration. For me, it is more about enjoying a piece of pie, having good conversations, and spending time with the people who matter.

I do not have a large circle of friends in real life, and I am perfectly happy with that. I would rather have a few people with whom I have a real and meaningful connection than many people who are only around sometimes.

At the same time, I really appreciate the people I have met online. I enjoy connecting with people who share the same interests, especially around IT, technology and homelabbing. I am grateful for everyone who follows my journey and for the conversations and connections along the way.

Many people think being healthy is normal, until one day it is not. I have been living with a serious illness for a long time, and because of that, life can sometimes be challenging.

Not every illness is visible from the outside, and unfortunately, that also means I do not always get the understanding I would hope for. People cannot always see what someone is dealing with or how much energy everyday things can sometimes take.

Living with this illness has taught me that good health is never something we should take for granted. It has also taught me to appreciate the smaller things in life even more.

So, 54 it is.

Another year older, hopefully a little wiser, and most importantly: still enjoying the journey.

And yes, there was apple pie. 🎂