Some Thoughts on Getting Older

Tomorrow's my birthday. I'm getting older. Let's just say that when my mom was my age, I thought she was kinda old. So I guess I'm kinda old. Most of the time I don't feel old. I'm often surprised by the actual number of years I've lived. But other times, I do. I've discovered that aging is a mixed bag--most things aren't great, but there are a few perks. Here are some of my thoughts on getting older.

• My knees aren't great. If I don't pay close attention to what I'm doing, I pay for it. I can walk the hills around our house, but I have to conscientiously think about how I'm stepping so that I keep my knees aligned. There are other things I'd rather be thinking about.
• I no longer feel obligated to finish a book or a movie I've started. If I don't like it, I quit. I don't want to waste time on something I'm not enjoying.
• My kids feel more like friends. That's not to say there isn't still parenting that has to be done, but honestly, I like talking to my kids. I find them funny and clever and smart and mature. I'd rather hang out with them than with most people I can think of.
• I'm proof that some dreams come true when you're older. I became an author--not in my 20s or 30s, but in my 40s. 
• I'm also proof that some dreams die as you get older. I think my knees and my age have killed my dream of going on The Amazing Race. This makes me sad.
• We can take fun family vacations and know that all of us will remember them. (At least until I'm older and lose my memory.)
• After decades of fighting my hair, I now know how to work with it. This is a biggie!
• I can unapologetically like whatever kind of music I want to like. I'm also free to dislike whatever music I don't like. Musical peer pressure is a thing of the past!
• I have to keep track of glasses--one pair to read and a different pair to see the TV or movies. This can be very frustrating as it seems the pair I need is rarely where I am.
• My parents are getting older. I know this is a really obvious thing, but the reality of it scares me.
• I'm one of the older moms at school which gives me the freedom (and permission) to volunteer for what I feel like doing. Instead of feeling obligated to go to the school every week for one thing or another, I'm perfectly comfortable volunteering for the field trips. I'd much rather sit with my child on the bus than everyone else's child in the hall.
• I have wrinkles. I just hope they're mostly smile wrinkles and not a furrowed brow.

So there you have it. My family is giving me a Kindle. I'm giving myself a half pound of See's. And then I'll have an entire year to get used to being this old.