i must say.. that moving up one rung on this age ladder, makes me realise how self-sufficient, independent and self-reliant i can be. i don't need someone to hold my hand, tell me they love me, or push me forward. i don't need a special person to buy me a ring (though it'd be nice). i can buy my own rings. i can walk the path alone.. sufficiently happily & carefree-ly. i might not be the absolute happiest i could possibly be, but i'm genuinely really happy where i am in life. i look at the ring on my finger and i think about how far i've come, what i've achieved, and how far i can go. and it really makes me feel like i've achieved something with my life. i've done things, gone places, created memories that will accompany me for the rest of my life. and no one can ever take that away from me.