I turned 40 a couple of months ago. Forty. Maybe it's me, but something about 40 just seems so...old. To be honest, I was dreading the whole thing. Everyone I knew that had turned forty told me that, physically, they started falling apart within weeks of turning the dreaded age--knees going out, wrinkles more pronouced, skin sagging every where. In my mind I was saying "No Thanks".
But, my day turned out to be great. I was greeted by bright, fun pink and yellow balloons trailing down our stair case and found our kitchen smothered in more balloons and steamers everywhere. What fun! No black decorations announcing my age making me feel ashamed, just lots of cheerfulness. My wonderful husband also held a surprise birthday party for me. My whole day was just awesome! Something my husband said to me that day is so true. Turning 40 is not all that bad, but announcing it to everyone is the hard part.
The truth is 40 is does not feel like 20. Not even a little bit. When I was 20, I was in college and didn't really have a care in the world. My only concerns in life were keeping up with my homework and choosing my social schedule. I was in a lot better shape and even if a few extra pounds snuck on, I could drink Slim Fast for a week and they would be gone. My hair was naturally blonde back then and I could look at my face up close in the mirror without cringing about all of my wrinkles.
Now, at 40, I have a lot more concerns in life and tons of responsibilities. I enjoy all that has changed in my life, but I would definately not label it as "care free". My husband and I just started our family a couple years ago and it is so wonderful. But, my social schedule consists of playdates with toddlers and trips to the grocery store and that extra pregnancy weight does not melt off my body the way it does for my 20 something and 30 something friends. My hair now has to be highlighted to maintain any hint of what it was twenty years ago and I am so grateful for my failing eyesight because when I look in the mirror I can't see how deep the wrinkles go unless I'm really close up (which I avoid unless I'm trying to put on mascara--which brings up another issue: where the heck did my eyelashes go?--ugh!).
To be honest, I'm not as upset as I thought I would be about turning 40. My grandma told me many years that you never stop feeling about 28 on the inside, the only thing frustrating about getting older is a failing body and not recognizing yourself in a mirror. I always liked her outlook on life-- she was never afraid to try new things, meet new people and keep up with the current times. Should I get to live as old as she was, I hope I'm the same way.
Let's face it-- getting old stinks. None of us likes getting wrinkles and gray hair. We would all prefer to have the energy of our youth but, I would rather take on what getting older brings than to stress out over it and get even more wrinkles. Hollywood has turned getting older into some sort of freak show. I don't even need to mention Joan Rivers to point out how ridiculous plastic surgery has become. Some people don't even look human any more. I sometimes wonder if that's what people are really seeing when they claim they've seen an alien. Maybe it's just another person who took plastic surgery and a face lift a little too far.
So here's to all of us who are turning 40 this year. May we all enjoy it and learn to laugh at ourselves and what aging brings.
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