Thursday, January 7, 2016

On Turning 40

I'll be honest.  The thought of turning 40 had me seriously depressed.
It just seems so...OLD.

When my mother was 40, I was 18.  I was in my senior year of high school and getting ready to go off to college.
Me at 40...my kids are 6 and 3.  One is in kindergarten and the other one won't even be in school for another 2.5 years.
When I think about that, I just feel exhausted.  And old.  I don't even want to calculate how old I will be when my little one graduates high school (believe me, I already have but I'm just not ready to put it into print).

And then there are all the things I have to look forward to (and may or may not already be experiencing)...  Slowed down metabolism, aches and pains, wrinkles, forgetfulness, menopause. Peeing my pants when I cough or sneeze. Sagging boobs. Mammograms, colonoscopies and a myriad of other "old person" tests and exams.   High blood pressure and heart disease (which runs in my family). You get the picture.

Deep down, when I'm being completely serious and honest, I'm scared.  Scared of getting old. Scared of getting sick.  Scared of not being there for my kids.  Scared that because I didn't have my boys until later in life, I may not have as much time with them as younger moms will with their kids. Scared that with each passing year, my parents get older too.  Scared of what that means for them and for me.

Getting older is scary.  Getting older is depressing.  And anyone who claims otherwise is full of shit.

But...

The more I thought about it, the more I realized something.

What an absolute GIFT to have been given 40 years on this planet!  40 years of experiences.  40 years of life.  Every year, every hour, every minute of my life is a precious gift.  Every single second I spend with my parents is a gift.  Every single moment with my children.   Life can change in an instant whether you're 14 or 40.  I'm not going to waste time being depressed and worried about what is to come.  I refuse to be defeated by a number!  I am going to enjoy the NOW... enjoy my family, my home, my beautiful children and my friends. I am going to strive to live each day to the fullest and enjoy life.  I am going to thank God for 40 years and pray for 40 more.

I am THANKFUL to be 40.  Not everyone makes it this far, but I have.

So yes, getting older is depressing.  But it is also a gift.  Every morning I wake up to a new day is a gift from God.

So whether you're turning 30, 40, or 80, embrace it! Give thanks for every moment of your life you have been blessed to live. Be thankful for the opportunity to grow old!


13 comments:

  1. Beautiful outlook by a beautiful lady!!! I think you should come link this up with our My Refined Style linky party today, I know it's not a fashion post but most of us are over 40 and we need this reminder!!! Birthday hugs!!

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  2. I have LOVED my 40s. I know a lot about myself by now. I've learned lots of hard lessons. I know what I want and who I love. It's really been a blessing!

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    1. I'm glad to hear that! I'm determined to make my 40s my best decade yet! :)

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  3. Happy Birthday! I work with seniors so I know for sure that 40 is young! It's the prime of life :)

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  4. Getting older is definitely scary because you do start to think about the years you and your loved ones have left. However, there are so many great things about getting older as you've pointed out. I think the best we can all do is continue to enjoy life to the fullest and make memories to cherish while we're still here.

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  5. I'm turning 40 this year too...and my oldest is 6 and my twins are 3! I'm pretty anxious about turning 40, and scared like you mentioned too. I really love how you changed your outlook and perspective and hope I can get there too. Thank you for this.

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  6. I agree on all accounts! Turning 40 is sucky and fabulous all at once! It's also funny how you look back at what your own mom was like at that age. I think realizing your own mortality is the worst part.

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  7. Sorry I'm over here crying. Your honesty hit home. 40 is the new 30 so go ahead and rock it out gorgeous!

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  8. I cried the morning of my 25th birthday because I thought it was the end. I'm dramatic. Now I'm almost 30, my metabolism is crap and my bras are holding tube socks. I love your outlook because it's so positive and a great reminder to be thankful for the stage I'm in.

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  9. Such a positive outlook! Very few get to live such a great life at 40, so congratulations on that feat alone. Thanks for sharing this with us on #SHINEbloghop last week. See you again for another round tomorrow :)

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  10. For me, 42 was harder to take than 40. I appreciate your feelings, but I can say there are often silver linings around many of our clouds. Thanks for adding your fashion flair to the My Refined Style Linkup!

    Shellie
    www.thefabjourney.com

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