Turning Forty



My husband recently turned 40, on a Saturday no less, but it wasn't the bright occasion I had hoped it would be. We always go out, on a date, for each of our birthdays. I typically find a Groupon for a nicer restaurant, we stuff our faces with good food, and then take our full bellies to a cozy, dark bar somewhere to get a few nice cocktails. It's the perfect excuse to have some adult time which translates to quiet, elegant, and relaxing. I had, then, found a good Groupon for an Indian restaurant and brew house that's pretty well-known around here for having excellent food. My husband had been looking forward to it all week, so when Saturday morning -- birthday morning -- rolled around, and he was crabby, I was a bit surprised, but chalked it up to a rambunctious Nature Girl.

When afternoon came and he was still crabby, The Teen made an aside comment to me, "Mom, he's probably just grumpy because he's turning 40." Right after the words left his mouth, I realized how much sense that made. Decade Birthdays are milestones with which people start to gauge and reflect upon their lives. 20 isn't that big of a deal, but 30 starts the thought process that Decade Birthdays bring.

For me, 30 was hard. I admit it...I cried. I didn't want to be 30, I wanted to be in my 20s! Being in my 20s meant I was still young, so turning 30 meant I was getting old and I definitely was NOT ready to get old. Forty was a different beast. I didn't mind turning 40 in the least. I changed a lot from 30 to 40 and I was ready for the new decade. Besides, an older friend of mine had told me -- during a wonderful conversation over wine and sushi -- that 40 was fabulous. 'Well, sign me up!' I thought.

Since then, my friend has been proven right. While it hasn't all been sunshine and roses, the forties have been my best decade so far. What has changed to make this true? I'm older so I'm wiser, more sure of myself, more confident, more engaging, more outgoing, I'm not afraid to try new things or take risks, and a host of other things that I wasn't ten or twenty years ago. I know who I am, and I know where I'm going, and I wouldn't change that for the world.

Back to my husband: I cuddled up to him and asked him if he was having a hard time turning 40, and he admitted that he was. I reassured him that 40 was so much better than 30, and that things were going to be (more than) okay. We talked for awhile and his spirits were lifted, so we proceeded to celebrate his birthday like we were supposed to. A friend came over and had a few drinks, and then we mosied over to the Indian restaurant. The meal was fabulously fantastic, and we stuffed our faces until our bellies were full.




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