24... going on 25!

I'm about to go to bed for the last time as a 24 year old.
When i wake up and you read this i'll be 1/4 of a century old. By then...

I would have witnessed Portugal joining the EU, hosting both EXPO '98 and Euro 2004 and become gold medallists in judo. I would have watched the EU going from 8 to 12 to... 25.

I would have had classes with a former Prime-Minister (future Republican President) and several former members of government. I would have shaken hands with the Chairman of Microsoft, lounged on the couch of the Chairman of Portugal Telecom, given advice on where to buy shirts to the 300th wealthiest man in the world (a Portuguese) and sipped gin tonics with the (friendliest) Global HR Director of Cadbury Schweppes.

I would have watched September 11th live on TV and think it had to be a movie. I would have gone to London right after the 7/7 bombings and just before the 19/7 bomb attempts. I would have watched a great pope pass on and a new one take his place.

I would have travelled to 30 countries in a single year and met / learned from huge amounts of patient people. I would have discovered the pleasure of beer, whiskey and Cuban cigars. I would have watched the greatest basketball player of all times win 6 NBA titles. I would have taken up and obsessed about golf.

I would have made many mistakes and learned from them. I would have made and lost friendships and kept them all in heart and mind. I would have driven my sweet parents crazy.

Of all these things that have passed, one and one alone is on my mind as i recap the quarter century and fall asleep into the new one...