We recently turned 40.
Once you get to know us you’ll learn that despite different backgrounds, our lives have followed a shockingly similar path. Same undergrad degree, same post-university experience abroad, same grad degree from which we were hired by the same firm. We could go on: Same hairdresser, same dentist. And last week, unbeknownst to us both, we bought the exact same pair of shoes. (They’re really cute.)
So we’re also the same age – three months apart to the day.
We’ve been thinking about 40 for a long time now. It’s not like it just popped up in Outlook unexpectedly. And what we thought about 40 was this: There were two ways to look at it:
a) bury your head under the covers and hope that it goes away or,
b) embrace it.
We both went for option b.
Why not? 40 is the new 30, right? It’s the new black. A state of mind. Knowing who you are (and who you’re not). Knowing who you’re married to (and who you’re not). And it’s all okay.
In fact, it’s better than okay. It’s really great.
We’ve been having an ongoing conversation for the past couple of years now about “things we’re too old to do.” (This list might also include being too old to wear a crop top, fight with our friends, or help someone move in exchange for pizza and beer.) This attitude must have started a few years ago when we had an important business meeting. Since we’ve been off the corporate path for a while now, and we’ve popped out five babies in just about as many years, our business wardrobes were/ are non-existent. Jeans and t-shirts are a pretty strict uniform at Admiral Road, so we couldn’t scrape a business suit together between us for this meeting. When we asked someone’s advice, she suggested that the company we were meeting was pretty formal and we should ante up. So what were we to do?
Rather than getting all wound up about what to wear, we put on our (best) jeans and headed to the meeting. We decided that we were too old to run around to buy an outfit just for this occasion. After all, we were representing ourselves – and jeans are where we’re at right now. (The meeting went very well, by the way.)
And that’s the upside of 40.
So how did we celebrate 40? With big, honking parties. Each of us, surrounded by our family and friends all wishing us well. We have a lot to be grateful for.
So here’s to the next decade: For all the things we’re too old to do and for all the things that life will throw at us, but that we’re now ready to handle.
What do you think about 40? Thumbs up or thumbs down?
Printer-friendly version