an amazing age to have been

Since it is Throwback Thursday, let’s go back all the way to last month when I turned 41 and freaked out.

I’d like to think I had recovered enough by the time I published my post on “The Power of 41.” Instead of curling into a ball in the corner, I came up with a list of challenges/tasks to occupy my mind and body for the next year.

A blogger who I have followed for almost as long as I’ve had this blog left a comment that made me tear up:

Hey, I will tell you the same thing I tell “the boys” when their birthday rolls around: enjoy this age…it’s the only time you will be it. I, personally, think you are awesome. That’s not just words. I truly think you are, and there is nothing (not even those pesky setbacks that you focus on) that can change the fact that you do accomplish a lot every single day. It doesn’t necessarily FEEL like you do, but -believe me- you DO.

We have a seemingly thankless task ahead of us: seeing our kids to productive adulthood in spite of pretty heavily stacked odds. We can beat ourselves up, and use a very harsh scale to measure ourselves. I do it. Boy, do I do it! Sometimes, egads, I relish being that mean to myself. Sometimes, when MY age bogs me down (and I’m older than you are,) I just remember how old J is, and how far he has come. I remind myself of the part I’ve played in that. It does help…I am, sort of, a tremendous bad-ass.

As for your question: 9 would be what I flatly refuse to try. Thirty-four is one I would jump into head-first.

Now…go have fun! Look at that woman in the mirror and find your eight year-old self…ask her what she thinks about you. I’m pretty dang sure she’s impressed in ways she (and you) never imagined. You’re only 41 once. And it’s great. It doesn’t look like it from 41, but from 51 it will seem like an amazing age to have been.

Thank you, Lola, for giving me some much-needed perspective. I’ve chosen your reply as my August Comment of the Month. Your words of wisdom will live on at my Couldn’t have said it better page.

And for the record, I haven’t started number 9 (try 41 new workout videos) yet but I have jumped in head-first to number 34 (listen to Broadway musicals).