Man has no choice when he wants everything

Here's another side-benefit of being 26 years old:
When you are 26, you are suddenly beautiful and confident and you can have whatever you want. It's absolutely true. You just have to decide when you want what, and on what terms.
No one told me that I'd have this magical birthday and that I'd find myself three months into it and not only have everything I'd ever dreamed of (almost), but I'd have it all at once (almost).
No, I haven't won the lottery and I haven't found the perfect way to solve the world's problems. I'm happy in my job, though it's not what I'd planned, and I certainly haven't ended up with the man of my dreams... yet. I haven't even met him (probably). But I do have it all. I have a great family. They drive me crazy occasionally. Sometimes they make me cry. But I wouldn't trade them for the world.
I have a beautiful place to live. Yes, I have to make the payments and pay the taxes and fix things from time to time, and deal with scary stuff like black widows and lizards (incidentally, there was a LIZARD stuck in a spider web in my garage... SICK!), but I come home to a serene place, and when I entertain, people are comfortable there.
I travel the world. If not by airplane (which I do frequently), I do it through reading. I'm a lifelong learner.
I'm getting to do the things I want. Help plan my friends' wedding reception. Being adventurous and hiking and biking and rafting and running. Taking jetted bubble baths every day. Making the world a better place. Kissing the boys I like, and then-- because it's me who gets to decide it all-- being the one who decides what shape a relationship is going to take.
Now I'm brave. Now I'm fierce. Now I go out and do what I want. And it's not reckless because even though I'm not invincible, I'm resilient.