So.
Forty.
I've "changed area codes" as they say here in Israel. I'm now further away from my college years than it took to reach them in the first place. The music of my youth has become the stuff of nostalgia, the muzak you hear in an elevator.
So far forty feels pretty good. Better even than thirty-nine. This past year I learned, finally, to really accept myself and love myself for who I am, and ironically that gave me the impetus and strength to change a few things that needed changing, not the least of which were (are) physical. I'm committed now to a leaner, healthier me and am well on the way to getting there (20 pounds lost so far and still going). I'm not dieting, I'm implementing an overall lifestyle change - really internalizing those healthier eating habits, making exercise a part of my daily routine, making smarter choices and just as importantly not beating myself up on the occasions when I make an equally conscious choice to ignore the smart choice and do what I damn please - like eating a big piece of birthday cake for breakfast.
I feel good about myself, and good about life in general. It's had its bumps in the road, and some of them have been whoppers, but I'm not losing sight of how good things are overall. I've got an amazing husband who I still love now as much as I did when I married him eighteen years ago, two terrific kids, a comfortable, safe home. Heck, I even have a jacuzzi now. I sure didn't see that one actually coming to fruition. Life is good. (spits three times and throws salt over shoulder to appease any capricious fates that may be listening)
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have coffee to drink and a shopping trip to embark on - it is my birthday after all. (God help me, I'm going bathing suit shopping on my birthday - not sure it's smart, but the sale that's on now is too good to pass up so I'm risking my self-esteem and heading out to the land of the three-way mirrors).
29 comments:
Heartfelt Birthday Greetings coming to you Robin!!! Happy Birthday 40!! Now....I just hit the 50...we will have to compare notes when you reach that milestone! Enjoy your day!!!
Wishing you a scent-sational birthday my fellow July baby!
Patty
Go, girl!!! Enjoy your day! The saying goes that "Life begins at 40!"
What a great reflection of life, Robin. Yom holedet sameach. Happy new year of life. Kol hakavod.
Sure you can eat cake for breakfast, as long as you have your salad with it. hehe
Good luck with the dreaded 3-way mirrors.
Happy, happy birthday!! I've never had carrot cake with chocolate frosting...is it good? I've only had it with cream cheese frosting.
Good luck with the swimsuits. Work it girl! :)
happy birthday!! wishing you all the best on your special day.
Heh. You didn't think I was gonna forget didja?
P-A-R-T...Y?... 'Cause I gotta
Dude. You should always eat chocolate cake for breakfast on your b-day.
Happy Birthday Robin!!! Let's party.
(Cause Mojo says we gotta.)
--snow
Happy Birthday! And congratulations on the healthy lifestyle change!
Happy Birthday Robin! Enjoy your day and welcome to 40!
Happy Big 4-0 Robin! I think birthday cake for breakfast sounds fabulous! Forties are the very best years - old enough to have yourself and life figured out a bit, and young enough to enjoy it! Wishing you many blessings and happy memories in the making for the coming year. Do we get a picture of that swimming suit? :-)
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Robin, Happy Birthday to you.
Skip the cake til after you buy the swim suit .. I am just sayin'
And you are such a baby ... 40 .. pfffit .. nothing to it .. wait til you get to my age .. oy!
Happy Birthday! Changed area codes, hm? I'll have to keep that one in mind if I ever visit Israel.
It's great that you feel good about life. I know that that's the one thing I want to be able to say when I'm forty - that I'm happy with who I am and the choices I've made that have led to where I am.
PS - Not HDR in the parking garage photo, though I agree it does seem that way. I used a large amount of local contrast, which often creates a similar feel. Correcting the white balance also helped in creating the neutral, fairly colorless, almost sterile feel.
happy birthday!
Happy birthday! Have some cake on me...
Way to go - I almost missed it - One more hour left - hope it's happy!
Happy birthday! Just squint in the dressing room.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Robin!!!! I have never heard of chocolate icing on carrot cake....bet it was good! : )
Welcome to the 4th. decade...hope it treats you well! I will say it has its ups and downs...but what age doesn't, right?
okay...hope you enjoy your day!!!!!
Happy Birthday, Robin! It all gets better after 40, I promise! Look what it did for me!
Happy day, OLD friend! Great writings, glad you're rolling with it - see? It's not so bad! Of course, I probably had (unspecified) for breakfast that day...So, we've known each other 25 yrs. at least, and I'm damn glad to say that you are STILL and will always be one of my favorite people ever! Rock on, sister! And tell your folks I said thanks!
Happy Birthday! At 40 we are wise enough to know how to be happy!
Happy Belated Birthday Robin!! :)
Happy Belated Birthday!!! The world is BEFORE you and I will be joining you in about 2 yrs LOL
Hope you found a great suit to mark a great age ;)
Happy belated birthday! Enjoy!
I think cake makes a great breakfast. Happy Birthday!
Happy belated birthday! Sounds like you are in a pretty blissful place in life. I hear 40 has that affect on people. Not wishing away time but I must say that I am looking forward to that level of self acceptance.
I hope your day was wonderful, 3 way mirrors and all. If anyone deserves to have a big old piece of cake for breakfast, it's you, my friend!
Happy belated Birthday, Robin. Cake for breakfast, hmm. My fave is pumpkin pie for breakfast, during the fall. I figure it has all the major food groups.
Happy birthday, Robin. 40 is great. Hope you enjoyed the day.
i'm so sorry for the belated birthday wishes! i'm terribly behind in my blog reading! i hope the day wrapped up just as wonderfully as it began! happy birthday!!
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