Turning 25 - What I Care About

So, I turned 25 on Monday. Twenty-five is, I think, a strong age. Birthdays are always a good time for reflection. Humans love marking milestones, and I think it's important. If there were no cycles in life, there would be nothing to look forward to. The cyclical nature of the planets and stars literally dictates our mindsets. If there were no patterns, we'd just be floating aimlessly. So, I began writing down some things I care about at the age of 25. These things make up my current ego. Here's what I've got so far: - Sleep: Become professional sleeper - Sports - basketball, soccer, surf, snowboard, pickleball, pádel, weightlifting - Water- drink ample water - Fruit shakes - coconut, mango, passion fruit - Tea - really dive into benefits of tea culture - Sauna - Sun- live my the beach, sun keeps you energized - Adventure and travel - Sushi - Judaism - Read/write - Music: karaoke, guitar, dance There is no real reason or deep explanation behind these things. While riding my bike, I thought about aspects of my life that I like and want to continue improving upon, and these came up. I'll elaborate a little on the first one, "Sleep," because it might seem odd at first. Sleeping in dorm rooms around the world for half a year made me truly appreciate the necessity of a good night's rest to tackle the following day with energy. I've experienced some extremely uncomfortable sleeps. When I don't sleep well, I wake up cranky and tired, and I can't give my best self to the world. I've realized the importance of becoming a professional sleeper. Now, let me also comment on the importance of the sun. I've been in Vietnam for just under two weeks. The weather is mild but cloudy, and I feel less energized when the sun isn't shining. I really hope to live somewhere sunny year-round and close to nature. I'm very grateful I was raised in Florida, but I took that sun for granted. Okay, now about today: I drove for five hours, quite far and long. The past ten days on my bike, I've been out of civilization. This has happened throughout my trip. Today, I arrived in Sapa, a major city in Northern Vietnam. It's always weird readjusting to civilization. Everything is easier. You can go to a grocery store or have a well-cooked meal. On the adventure away from society, these things aren't a given. It makes you appreciate modern society, but also realize its drawbacks. I hear so much street noise while writing this, which is a stark contrast to the quietness and serenity of the mountains. But the mountains don't have Snickers and coconut water at convenience stores downstairs. There are pros and cons to organized society and culture. I think being able to move between the wild and the tame is a beautiful tango.