If you are wondering what it's like to turn 40, I gotta tell you - it rocks. And I know this because I am 40 today. I think it may well have something to do with the fact that by the time you reach 40 you've probably already done quite a bit of living (for better or worse) and quite frankly at this point, you're on the age equivalent of the "night bus" (next milestone marks your ticket to a place on the mobility bus) and you pretty much just want to get home - in other words: Am I bovvered? No, not really. Least not as bothered as I was when I turned 30. In retrospect, I have to say, 30 was my scary age and I spent the rest of my 30s bemoaning that age. I have no intention of wasting my 40s on that sentiment.
Besides which I'm in great shape. Don't take it from me - see for yourself:
(that's me on the right - the 25 year old Romanian au pair I borrowed is on the left...)
Tell me I don't look ravishing at 40! And that's the other thing that happens at this age - self-esteem appears to peak because...yep you guessed it - 40 year olds (for the most part) don't give a monkeys what anyone else thinks.
I want to take a moment to thank the Silverback (so you can go ahead and add "humility" to the list of new sentiments that begin at 40) for organising the dog's bollocks of a birthday party yesterday at the local tennis club where a constant stream of friends, old and new and all cherished, just kept on arriving. I had friends from primary school there and friends I've just met this year.
Old ties like these that tether us to the happy innocent days of our early youths are so incredibly special, they verge on the mystical. And that is what I have with this special lady:
and this one:
But by the same token my working mum chums who are brand new friends are equal in stature to me for all the support they have given in the short few months I've known them - in fact this motley crue, one hopes, will join the league of "old" friends when I'm celebrating my 50th.
And these are just the ones that posed for piccies. There are more! Yes, it does seem like a lot of bragging over a few friends. Big deal - we all have friends, right? Actually no, we don't all have good friends and even when we do have good friends, they should never ever be taken for granted. I should know I've F-ed this up in the past and learnt the lesson the hard way. So all the more reason to rejoice in gratitude for these and let's leave it at that. (Note to self: add " get all preachy" to that list of stuff that happens).
So, this is what it feels like to turn 40.
No but in all seriousness...take care of yourselves...aaaaannnn eachother.
The Silverback - cheers!
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