Starting 52 with a Passport and a Grateful Heart
Because sometimes the best gifts are the ones you never imagined for yourself.
Turning 52 is already showing up bigger and brighter than I ever expected. I just got home from spending two unforgettable weeks exploring Germany, Italy, and Austria – and yes, I still can’t believe I’m saying that out loud. As a girl who grew up in a small Midwestern town, in a family that never took vacations beyond the occasional day trip, I never imagined I would be wandering the canals of Venice… let alone celebrating my birthday there with two of my best friends.
If you had told 10-year-old me that one day I’d be sipping wine along the Grand Canal, I would’ve laughed, blushed, and then probably tripped over my own shoelaces. Yet here I am… 52, a little braver than before, and still pinching myself.
The real gift was who I was with – the two people who have shown up for me in every version of my life: the lost years, the rebuilding years, and the ones where I finally found my footing. They’ve given me encouragement when I doubted myself, patience when I was stuck, and the kind of support that never asks you to rush your own becoming.
But the real gift wasn’t the scenery or the train rides or the history (though trust me, I’ll be writing about all of that later).
And that… right there… is the heart of what I want this website to be.
A space where we get to do life on our own timeline.
Where “late” isn’t a thing.
Where “different” is celebrated.
Where the only expectation… is your own.
Because we are all wildly unique humans, and what works beautifully for one person may feel completely wrong for someone else – and that doesn’t make either of them wrong. It actually makes life a lot more interesting.
A Lifetime of Friendship (and a Few Plot Twists)
Abby, this incredibly intelligent, independent, and determined woman has been in my life for over 45 years. We were inseparable growing up… until she moved halfway across the world our freshman year of high school. (Still rude. Still forgiven.) Luckily, a couple months before she left, this amazing guy, Robert, walked into my life – the same one who is still in it today, 37 years later. Timing is funny like that.
Even though she was far away, we found ways to stay close: letters, inside jokes, secret ways of communicating long before emojis existed. Then, at the most perfect time, she returned right before our senior year as if the universe hit “resume” on our friendship. After graduation, she moved away again. This time permanently, and life took us in very different directions. Today, we might only see each other once or twice a year, but every single time, we pick up like we never missed a beat. Lunch, walk, errands, doesn’t matter… the connection never changes.
That’s how you know something is real. It doesn’t require constant maintenance. It just is.
Why I Believe Nothing Is “Just Coincidence”
There was a moment on this trip – one of those deep, soul-level conversations – where I said I sometimes wonder how I got so lucky to meet these two people at such a young age. Not everyone finds their people that early. Some never do.
Her response was simple but stopped me in my tracks:
“Because you were open to it.”
And I’ve been thinking about that ever since.
I once heard a quote: “There is no such thing as coincidence, only confirmation.”
And the older I get, the more I believe it. Yes, I was shy. Yes, I was introverted (still am… working on it). But even as a quiet kid, I allowed myself to be open… to new people, new experiences, new possibilities.
And look where it led: to friendships that have lasted nearly half a century… and to a birthday I never could’ve imagined.
Change Is Terrifying… and Also Kind of Amazing
Let’s be honest: change is not cute or comfortable. It’s messy. It’s emotional. It’s panic-texting your best friend while you decide whether to leap or stay safe where you’ve always been. I’ve been terrified while making most of the decisions that shaped my life. But here’s what I’ve learned:
Being scared is not a sign you’re doing the wrong thing.
Sometimes it’s proof you’re finally doing the right thing.
Saying yes – even when you’re unsure, even when you feel unqualified, even when it doesn’t match what “everyone else” is doing – can lead to the most beautiful surprises.
Like a passport stamp.
Or a moment in Venice.
Or a life that finally feels like yours.
So Here’s My Hope… For You, and For Me
That we keep choosing the things that expand us.
That we stop apologizing for doing life differently.
That we stay open – even when it’s scary, even when it’s slow.
Because being open is how magic finds us.
And if 52 is already starting off like this?
I can only imagine what’s waiting just around the corner.
Stay tuned… the full trip story is coming.
And so is everything else I’m finally ready to say yes to.
Love and Hugs,
Jenrie
