Downward slide to 50?
Random thoughts on the day of my birth, or would that be anniversary of my birth? Either way I didn't do any of the work, thanks mom!
I admit that I didn't know that being 46 would feel like this. I'm not sure what I thought it would 'feel' like, but I can assure you that when I was 18 I thought 46 would be all about early-bird specials and comfortable shoes. OK, one out of two as comfortable shoes do win the battle 99% of the time.
The beauty of aging is that the things that once were vitally important somehow faded away into things that truly are important.
I had a great conversation this morning with a dear friend about 'first world problems' and how we all need and have reality checks throughout our lives but don't always pay attention to them. This particular friend recently beat cancer. <I'll let that one sink in for my 18 yr old self because I bet she wouldn't have been able to wrap her head around a friend being that kind of sick.>
Our conversation also got me thinking about life and how very, very lucky I am to have the kinds of "problems" I think I have. I'm happy, healthy, have a great family, am in a challenging volunteer position I love, and am surrounded by other happy people who make me laugh.
So what does age bring you? Age brings you a kind of peace that even though you have seen and lived some pretty awful things, that there is so much more good in the world than bad. Call me a Pollyanna, but I am a firm believer that there is infinitely more good than bad.
Age brings you the ability to laugh at yourself. There are things I do now that I would have been mortified if they happened to me when I was younger. I laugh at myself all the time now and I laugh with others now much more easily. I also did not realize I would still be as immature when I was 46. Eighteen year old me would not believe it if she knew that fart noises are still funny and that I still can't sit through a meeting without getting into some kind of trouble. Speaking of, having friends who laugh and make you laugh, now that's a treasure. One's you can get into trouble with, even better. (Not the trouble that brings the law into it though!)
Age allows you to choose to accept people for exactly who they are, flaws and all...or not. It also reminds you that sometimes the best thing to do is cut your losses and move on. Sometimes you can learn from the experiences and other times the other person (or you) was just a jerk and had no lessons to teach you. Next!
Age allows you to have financial peace if you have played the cards you were dealt with smartly. If not, age gives you the kick in the pants you need to right that wrong...we hope.
Aging in this day and...age also means Facebook birthdays! I love seeing the happy birthdays as much as I like writing them to others. I have heard some say that FB birthdays are silly or useless. I beg to differ. I know that every time I have written happy birthday to someone that I have also thought about that person and had great thoughts about them. Imagine that, a day where people are thinking about you if only for a moment. I'd say that is a pretty awesome thing, wouldn't you?
The absolute best part of aging is seeing everything that I have learned and experienced in these 46 years and looking forward to the next 46. I can't wait to see what else is out there and who I will be as the years go on.
I admit that I didn't know that being 46 would feel like this. I'm not sure what I thought it would 'feel' like, but I can assure you that when I was 18 I thought 46 would be all about early-bird specials and comfortable shoes. OK, one out of two as comfortable shoes do win the battle 99% of the time.
The beauty of aging is that the things that once were vitally important somehow faded away into things that truly are important.
I had a great conversation this morning with a dear friend about 'first world problems' and how we all need and have reality checks throughout our lives but don't always pay attention to them. This particular friend recently beat cancer. <I'll let that one sink in for my 18 yr old self because I bet she wouldn't have been able to wrap her head around a friend being that kind of sick.>
Our conversation also got me thinking about life and how very, very lucky I am to have the kinds of "problems" I think I have. I'm happy, healthy, have a great family, am in a challenging volunteer position I love, and am surrounded by other happy people who make me laugh.
So what does age bring you? Age brings you a kind of peace that even though you have seen and lived some pretty awful things, that there is so much more good in the world than bad. Call me a Pollyanna, but I am a firm believer that there is infinitely more good than bad.
Age brings you the ability to laugh at yourself. There are things I do now that I would have been mortified if they happened to me when I was younger. I laugh at myself all the time now and I laugh with others now much more easily. I also did not realize I would still be as immature when I was 46. Eighteen year old me would not believe it if she knew that fart noises are still funny and that I still can't sit through a meeting without getting into some kind of trouble. Speaking of, having friends who laugh and make you laugh, now that's a treasure. One's you can get into trouble with, even better. (Not the trouble that brings the law into it though!)
Age allows you to choose to accept people for exactly who they are, flaws and all...or not. It also reminds you that sometimes the best thing to do is cut your losses and move on. Sometimes you can learn from the experiences and other times the other person (or you) was just a jerk and had no lessons to teach you. Next!
Age allows you to have financial peace if you have played the cards you were dealt with smartly. If not, age gives you the kick in the pants you need to right that wrong...we hope.
Aging in this day and...age also means Facebook birthdays! I love seeing the happy birthdays as much as I like writing them to others. I have heard some say that FB birthdays are silly or useless. I beg to differ. I know that every time I have written happy birthday to someone that I have also thought about that person and had great thoughts about them. Imagine that, a day where people are thinking about you if only for a moment. I'd say that is a pretty awesome thing, wouldn't you?
The absolute best part of aging is seeing everything that I have learned and experienced in these 46 years and looking forward to the next 46. I can't wait to see what else is out there and who I will be as the years go on.
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