The Final Month of My Youth

"There is a fountain of youth: It is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love.  When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age." -Sophia Loren


Such a thoughtful and truthful quote from a woman whose face is a wax lifeless version of its former self...oh the irony.


Today is October the 27th, exactly one month from my very quickly approaching 20th birthday, AH! Although I have been complaining about turning this horrible age where frivolousness, staying up until four in the morning, and saying whatever I really think is becoming more and more difficult to pass off as a ignorant flaw of adolescence, I have decided to put my foot down! As corny as it sounds "everyone is the age of their heart" and my heart says that I am ageless.


So far, growing up has been fabulous! I love that I can enjoy independent documentaries just as much as a great Disney cartoon.  I love that I went to the National Gallery and fell in love with the works of Titian that are absolutely stunning and that Warhol's stupid Campbell's soup at the Tate Modern is just ridiculous.  I really love that I appreciate going to hear a live jazz band and then go to bed and that I still love to go dancing with my girlfriends. I love that I can listen to Barbra Streisand, Madonna, and Lady Gaga and not be able to decide whom I like the most....okay so Madonna would most likely win out, but you get my point.  Most of all, I've been realizing how much I love my University, that allows me to have "the college experience" where I am a part of a sorority with the most fantastic girls with dreams and ambition and passion and creativity and a school that loves to go to sporting events and tailgate, but at the same time, they give all of us, at least 68% of us, this chance to study in a country where the people, especially the youth, appreciate art, culture, history, politics, all of the things that are often an afterthought at most colleges and universities in America.  I most of all love how much fun it is to be able to live in Los Angeles and London and hopefully, one day, many other fabulous places, but what a wonderful indescribable feeling it is to be back in Memphis (every now and then :) ) I just love the yin and the yang of every aspect of life.  


I don't love growing up, after all, I think I've always been a grown-up, but I love growing into "who I am".  Whatever that actually means it's definitely occurring in my life here.  I am at peace with myself and enjoying the quietness and reflectiveness of my life that I didn't really choose to have last year, but something that I have to choose to embrace here, because there are only 50 other students with me.  I am completely enamored with London and it's people, it's style, it's food, everything.  London is so vibrant and full of life and it is exhilarating and inspiring to be surrounded by all of it! 


Basically, London is the perfect place to spend "the final days of my youth", including a great halloween weekend, a fabulous week in Venice with my two best friends, Chelsea and Azzurra, a wonderful weekend in wine country with my 8 best girlfriends that are abroad, and culminating in my actual birthday, here in London with my mommy :) 


20.....not so scary, in fact, I think I'll be twenty at heart forever because my life could not possibly get more amazing than it is at this exact moment.  I have a loving supportive family, the most sincere, remarkable, thoughtful, loyal, fascinating, and compassionate group of friends, and an energetic and beautiful city to inspire me everyday. 


20 in London, it doesn't get much better than this!




My theme song for the next 30 days: Young Forever by Jay Z


I really do love all of you, in case I don't tell you often enough!


LOVE,
Carson