On Turning 40

Oh no.  Not me.   I've still got 14 months and 11 days till I turn 40.

Not that I'm counting or anything.

But a number of my friends are in the process of turning 40 this year, and a lot more will turn 40 next year (why do I keep typing 30 instead of 40?!), so let me take this opportunity to tell you what I really think of turning 40.

My friends who are 40 or nearly there have pretty much got their lives together.  Are their lives perfect?  I doubt it.  Whose is?  But yeah, they are generally professionals of some sort with decent jobs, pretty good kids, and the good sense not to stay out all night drinking in bars.  Usually.

My friends who are 40 or nearly there have generally become more attractive with age.  Sure, there are a few gray strands mixed in, a little less hair for some, a couple of laugh lines, but I find that the women have grown into their beauty and the men are getting more handsome  - regardless of how cute they were when we were all kids.  And I thought we'd all look older by now, but for the most part, we all still look youngish.  How nice!

My friends who are 40 or nearly there are so much more confident than they were as kids.  Of course, most people gain confidence as they gain life experience and wisdom, but I see my friends as confident in their bodies, their accomplishments, their souls.  It's a pretty amazing sight.

My friends who are 40 or nearly there are still cool.  When I was a kid, I thought 40 was ancient!  I didn't think 40-year-olds did anything fun.  But now I've discovered that it's okay to be age 40 (or nearly so) and still have a life.  Maybe we like a few different things now than 20 years ago, maybe our wines are a little nicer or our hobbies are a little more expensive, but I love seeing my friends with full, vibrant lives, whatever those lives entail.

I always say that the older I get, the more fun I have.  As I see so many friends turn 40 and witness the great joy with which they still experience life, I am confident that my adage is right.