Thirty eight years old isn’t so bad. I know this. Age really is irrelevant in most circumstances. Celebrating a birthday is also irrelevant when you are not celebrating the keystone years (Ie: 13, 16, 18, 21, 30, 35 (1/2 way to 70), 40, 50…65? I think it gets obsolete after that! lol …sorry mom 😉 ). Was today irrelevant for me? Of course not! I do enjoy my birthday and I don’t mind saying my age. Yes, I am now 38 years old!
If there is anything that ‘troubles’ me about the birthdays that came after my 35th is the fact that I seem to be inching closer to the age that I REMEMBER thinking as a teenager and even a 20+ year old sassy know-it-all was old. I pride myself in my memory (granted, selective at best but I remember the oddest thoughts and events) and I clearly remember the thoughts I had when I considered the generation that was ‘older’ than I and I thought that by the time I was ‘that age’ I would be more refined. Now that I’m inching closer to ‘that age’ I realize that though I might be more refined in some areas my mind hasn’t moved on and left behind the young Shannon, it has merely expanded and made room for the knowledge, wisdom and understanding…and possibly a hint of class. 😉 Granted, a huge factor in my growth is the relationship I’ve nurtured with Christ and the ways in which I’ve become ‘refined’ is by letting go of the pride that was disguised as maturity and intellect when in fact it was what held me back.
I’ve had a few well-wishers say ‘Celebrating 21 again?’ and I quickly respond, ‘No way! I wouldn’t go back to the 20’s.’ But I’ll stay in my 30’s for a lifetime… 🙂 But then again, if I’ve learned so much in this decade, and I still have 2 years to go, am I kidding myself in not realizing that there is still a world of refining and mind expansion to come in the next decade? Okay 40…bring it.
One stipulation, I want my mind to always feel young enough to dance, to be silly even if it’s age inappropriate at times and to recognize when I need to get over myself. 🙂
Thank you to everyone who wished me well on this 38th year of my life! I love you all!
Blessings
Shannon