Thursday, February 27, 2014

The Best Decade

Today, I met one of my co-workers on the hallway. She stopped to wish me a happy birthday, welcoming me to a new decade.  She shared, that years and years ago, her sister-in-law called the 30s the best age decade of her life. For herself, the 30s were great, but so were her 40s, and as far as she can say, the 50s are great, too.

Having just crossed the threshold into what may or may not be the best decade of my life, I started to contemplate what the three decades of my life mean to me so far:


1st decade: I don’t remember much. My fate was mostly decided by others and my self-confidence barely being rudimentary.

2nd decade: my teens, let’s not talk about it. Definitely filled with a good share of the usual angst, amateur self-finding attempts, rebellions, eating disorders, therapies.

3rd decade: Definitely the decade that changed me the most. The years I worked to find my place in life, when I studied and earned degrees, when I married and had two beautiful girls, when I moved there, even further, and back again.
At the beginning of my 4th decade, I finally feel as if I have arrived. I have grown confident and mature enough to admit that I will never be the adult I thought I wanted to be; that I am way too much child to really care whether my hands are manicured or my outfit looks perfect and put-together.  I have put down a good foundation for a career; I have a job that I love and where I’m appreciated. We have friends who I did not meet in the clubs while drinking and partying. I have found new hobbies and decided that others were not for me. I am calm, I am confident, and I may finally have an idea who I am.
What was your favorite decade of life so far?

6 comments:

  1. I would say I loved my twenties, because I met Kevin and my thirties for having my kids, but not going to lie my forties (I have 3 short years before heading into) scare me just a bit. I think part of me is not ready to get older yet and as much as I know it is the inevitable still would like to slow time just a bit now if that makes sense.

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    1. My early to mid-20s were just so full of insecurities. They were great, because I met Richard and had the girls, but personally, I hadn't quite arrived yet, I was way to insecure. Now I don't feel like I have something to prove any more. Don't be scared by the 40, Janine. You won't be feeling any different, it's just a number after all :-)

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  2. Happy, happy birthday!!! My 20s were a rollar coaster of highs and lows- and the 30s are just kicking off. Here's to us both having good ones!

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    1. The 30s will most definitely be a blast, Kate! I'm so excited for what this decade has in store for us :-)

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