In less than two weeks I will be celebrating a major milestone...the big 4-0! Yep, I am turning 40. It hurts a bit to admit, I'm working through that. My hubby will be the same age exactly a week before me and he doesn't get it. If you were to ask him why his wife can scarcely bring herself to say her age, he might reply, "No clue." While it is true that the mirror, at times, harshly reminds me of my upcoming age via wrinkles and those stinkin' gray hairs that multiply, that isn't why forty is tough for me.
More so it is a reminder that my "fertile years" or whatever they actually were are starting to draw to a close. We are blessed, super blessed, to have our sweet 7 year old daughter. Trust me, I know that full well. But, I always wanted at least more than one child, probably in part because I always wanted a sibling. I guess it might sound silly to some people and that's okay but it doesn't make my feelings any less valid.
So, to distract myself and perhaps prove a point I decided to make a list of reasons why I am glad to be turning 40 and why forty is most definitely not a dirty word.
- People's opinions of me don't matter as much.
- I know what is important to me now.
- Bravery is so much more a part of my vocabulary than it used to be.
- Life feels so much more settled.
- Things I choose to do are things that I really like.
- It means I've almost been married for half of my life.
- Looks aren't as important.
- Older and wiser, friends. Older and wiser.
- Youth is in the heart.
- Being forty is a blessing - many people don't make it here.
Are there any reasons I've left out?
8 comments
I'm 47. Age is just a number now. I still feel like that 20 something girl, but I ache (sometimes) like the 47 year old woman I am. I don't worry about things as much, I'm happy with who I am. I think the older I get, the happier I get and the more comfortable I get.
I'm 54 now, and I agree that age is just a number and I don't feel like I'm 54. I'm actually happier now than when I was in my 20s. I'm wiser now and learned from my mistakes so I don't do as many stupid things as I did when I was younger!
Yes you left out the biggest one "What is the alternative to being 40? Anyway be proud of yourself, I am 64 and still have not attained your knowledge.
Turning any age is a blessing. You will rock 40!
It's so interesting to me how the concept of age differs between men and women. The list you provided is so great. Life is full of beauty if we take the time to notice it, and it's never too late to do the things we want to do. Even if your fertile years are coming to a close, there are still other options if you're up for the challenge of raising another child. I was adopted by my grandparents (she was 47 and he was 67), and it turned out to be the best thing that's ever happened to me!
this looks very interesting.
i'm 33 and i am honestly looking forward to 40! i know that i am going to be wiser and much more knowledgeable about life than i am now. And i know most people miss their 20's, but i don't. My 20's sucked, yeah my body was younger and all that but i was such a mess. i am so much better off now than i ever was then. i hope you have a wonderful 40th birthday, and i hope you have many many more!!! :)
How about: I'm 27 years older than you are and have a good life.
slehan at juno dot com
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