Today, I turn a quarter-century old, and there’s a lot for me to reflect on.
Like anyone else, a multitude of influences have come together, impossibly, at the exact times that they did, in order to make me who I am today. And like anyone else, chief among those influences are a few people whose impact on my life is immeasurably positive. From the ages of zero to nineteen years old, my parents were those people—and they still are. But ages twenty to twenty-five have seen another such person: my spouse, Heidi. It struck me just this past week that it had been five (5!) whole years since we started dating, and that this time frame basically constitutes my entire adult life.
In those five years, I’ve accomplished a lot. I graduated college, learned how to cook, moved three times—once to another state, and grew immensely as a person; but I didn’t do any of it alone. In fact, I had the absolute joy of sharing these experiences with my best friend and truest companion. We graduated together, learned to cook together, moved together, and grew together—both as individuals and as a couple. We faced some of our scariest, hardest, most uncertain moments, but we faced them together. Oh, and we got married, too.
Today, I turn a quarter-century old, and I don’t feel like twenty-five is that high a number. I’m halfway to my thirties, sure, but I still feel pretty young. I know this is a privilege in and of itself—I have a capable body and a surplus of inherent advantages and support systems that make life more manageable and less stressful.
But it probably also helps that my spouse loves and cherishes me to no end, makes me laugh every day, and remains a stable, grounding force in the face of life’s perpetual changes. Engaging with the challenges of early adult life alongside Heidi renders those challenges less than half as wearying as they otherwise should be, and I can’t overstate the difference that makes. Sure, it means I share in the burden of her challenges, in addition to my own; but that’s an honor, not a sacrifice.
Today, I turn a quarter-century old, and I have a lot to look forward to. There’s a lot of years ahead for Heidi and me to live, and I have plans. I’d like to adopt a cat together, and maybe a dog. I’d like to move into a house together. I’d like to cook more meals together, tend to a garden together, and read books side by side. I’d like to play video games together, take naps together, and play the piano while she paints nearby. Truthfully, if the next couple of quarter-centuries consisted of just those things, I would be content.
When I think of the past twenty-five years, it’s impossible to picture my life as a whole without seeing Heidi right there in the foreground, smiling at me—and the same is even more true when I imagine the future. She is a steadfast fixture of companionship in my life, and our relationship is as central to my identity as literally anything else. I love her so, so deeply; and I am thankful today, on my twenty-fifth birthday, more than anything else, for her.
Today I turn a quarter-century old. I’ve lived for twenty-five years, but I think these last five have been my favorite. You can probably guess why.
Philip Rienstra (‘21) majored in writing and music and has plans to pursue a career in publishing. They are a recovering music snob, a fruit juice enthusiast, and a big fan of the enneagram. They’re currently living in St. Paul with their spouse, Heidi.
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Happy birthday, Philip! And best wishes for the next quarter-century 🙂
Happy birthday 🙂 this was so wholesome and beautifully written ❤️
How sweet!! Loved reading this.