Friendships are special. I just want to highlight how amazing my friends are and the way they awesomely ensured I celebrated my 24th birthday. I am truly touched.

1. Thank you to my sweetheart of a friend who, though he was only in Jamaica for 3 days, ensured I had an evening/date that I will never forget. He is truly a gentleman and started off the celebrations in style, a week before the day.
2. Thank you to the friend who tried to take me to a play and dinner. It sucked that the play got cancelled but I had a truly delightful time picking your brain and making a total nuisance of myself.
3. What is like sun, sand, water mixed with friends? Although I wailed about getting up early on a Saturday morning, my surprise birthday beach trip was fantastic! Sunburn and all. Thank you for carrying me kicking and screaming and throwing me into the middle of fun.
4. Dinner at the Courtleigh was truly delightful. Good food, great company. Thank you to the friend who drove all the way from Montego Bay to celebrate with me the day before my big day.
5. Truly memorable for me on the day were three great experiences. You had the friend who stayed awake, though tired, to be the first to wish me a happy birthday. When she almost didn’t make it, she got herself a sugar-rush! So I ended up with two voice notes! One, sounding pretty drowsy, the other, high energy. Next came the image below: 
6. Finally, the friend who took me on a road trip. We did 7 parishes in 1 day! I will never forget struggling to maintain my composure while stuck in traffic in Ochi and wanting to pee or singing along with your R&B CD.
7. Thank you to the friend and her boyfriend who walked all over to get me a gift. I know I am hard to shop for and you truly made me emotional by going the extra mile to get something that you know I will love.
8. Yesterday, I got a simple message! Pretty up, pull out your little black dress, we are celebrating tomorrow night 7:30ish. Obediently, I did what was commanded and ended up with a night to be remembered! Because of today and tonight, I will always look back and remember Purple Rain fondly. Thank you ladies!

A few days, I considered what was valuable to me. My career? My faith? My family? My friends? What? I realized for the past few years, I had totally missed the point! I had placed way too much value on getting educated and building a career and wealth while putting the things that mattered on the outskirts of my inner circle. Material things, wealth and a career makes poor bed and comfort fellows! I’ve often found it strange how the wealthiest persons are sometimes the loneliest, but now I understand.

The greatest gift I received this year was the reminder of what truly mattered. None of these persons had to be reminded that it was my birthday (I hid my birthday on social media years ago). They love and value me enough to remember and celebrate with me. That is the point!

Year 24, for me, will be the year when I no longer continue to miss the point! I will have and maintain all that are valuable to me within my inner circle.

1. I will maintain my faith and continue to increase
2. I will maintain my friendships and relationships
3. I will continue to pursue my career and personal dreams
4. I will continue to live life to the fullest and creating new adventures.
5. I will continue to ensure that I am open to establishing and able to help build and maintain a lasting relationship

Have you been missing the point? You can have it all, if you are willing to acknowledge what is valuable, prioritize and maintain. All good things require maintenance effort! Don’t miss the point!

XOXO,
Chañel.

be human conflict Discovering Me Experiences feelings friends fun happy life-experience Relationship