Last week was my birthday, I bloody love birthdays! I know lots of people don’t, but I do, I love everything about them.
“So what age are you now?”
…the Girl said. To most, that would be a stupid question, why doesn’t my 18 year old daughter know what age I am. Of course she does, but we used to joke about my ‘what age did I want to be’. It was 24 for a very long time (haven’t been able to get away with that for a long time lol) but when she asked this week and said ‘I think you could so get away with 34’, bless her lol, I actually thought, ‘do you know, I’m actually really happy being the age I am!’.
Blimey, does that mean I’ve grown up?
Nah, I don’t think so, I think it just means, I’m actually, almost, (maybe still working a bit on it), comfortable in my own skin – ooohh profound, don’t you think! I’m at a point where life is FAR from over, lots of it is just starting. I certainly haven’t got everything figured out but what I have figured out is that the more I stress about it, the more I worry about what’s in the future, what I ‘should’ be doing, what others may expect me to do, the less good stuff, the right stuff (start humming New Kids on the Block – bet you didn’t know I choreographed a dance routine for the boys at school to that when we were in 6th year lol) comes my way. I’ve learned that if I take a step back but obviously not lie down on a chaise sipping bottles of Boli (yet), watching endless episodes of Ab Fab (just a few on my birthday), but carry on doing what MORE of what I love doing and LESS of what I don’t love doing and let the wonderous Universe have my back instead of showing it my back, the more the right things turn up. And it’s so much nicer and soooooo much more productive.
I know that might sound a bit woowoo and I am really just pretty near the beginning of that journey, but I trust that it is working and everything that goes on around me and involves me is leading me down the right path!
Oops that wasn’t the way this post was going to go but hey that’s life isn’t it.
What did I want for my birthday?
Pretty much nothing! Really, seriously. The hubster and the munchkins asked a few times and I took some time to think about it. And what did I come up with? I would like some flowers because they make me happy, I would like some money donated to Alzheimers Society for my 43km charity walk in June because my Mum had that, I wanted to eat cake with my daughter & have a ‘new jammie’ girly movie fest (the boys were both away), I wanted a little cash to go towards my yogafest holiday in October with my sister (we’ve only been talking about it for 20 years!) and that was it. I ACTUALLY DIDN’T WANT ANY STUFF!!!!!
Another moment of profoundness – I don’t think that’s really a word is it?!
Hubby and I have been having lots of chats recently about the fact that we don’t need or want any more stuff (well maybe an occasional handbag on my part). We are very lucky to have a lovely house that we live in and can earn a bit of an income from, 2 cars including one that is 16 years old but it’s perfect for summer and perfect for the newly qualified daughter driver, our furniture may be 20 years old but some has been upcycled by moi & the Boy (well, my lovely friend Carryn showed me how). I don’t need or want more ‘stuff’ basically.
I want to travel, I want to spend time with people I love, I want to eat gorgeous food, I want to have FUN and I’ve realised at 46, that ‘stuff’ just isn’t on my agenda anymore (ooh just found this picture, well maybe a pair of pink roller boots but nothing else….), I think I do have most kitchen implements on the market, so nothing required there. You may have got to that way before me or you may still like/want stuff and that’s totally cool, either way or somewhere in the middle. WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUAL, and that’s the really important thing. Some people would hate the thought of being in a hut on a random beach in Bali with nothing but the sea and a palm tree in front of them but that would be my dream, maybe with a mojito in a coconut shell but hey, some luxuries are still allowed.
So, what’s the take home?
Enjoy who you are, whatever age you are, feel good in your skin, at the age you are, and appreciate who you are, what you have and what you want to have in your life. There will always be challenges but do everything you can to chill into them and KNOW that they are happening for a reason (even if you feel like pulling your hair out at times). The more you can accept and ‘go with’, the happier you can be and the more amazing things will be in your life.
I’m now 46, not 24 or 34 , life is bloody good, I feel good, I’m looking forward to now and the future and I’m happy. Are you?