Hello, Sunday.
Hello, 40. I’m officially a forty-something.
The thing about being an August birthday is that I’m one-person shy of turning an age last (the only one of my close circle of classmates younger hits this milestone in 10 days). That means that, at least for the big ones, I get to see everyone freak and/or react to it, and by the time it gets to me, it’s old news.
This one was even less anti-climatic it seemed, with everyone hitting this milestone birthday at some point during the pandemic. Parties were cancelled, trips were postponed and one by one we all hit 40 under the radar. With the selling of my condo and all that goes with it, August 14th loomed out there as another thing “to do,” or possibly “to plan.” And I just didn’t care. As a sort of pipe dream I set a flight alert to London in the event that I found a deal, but otherwise didn’t decide until two weeks ago that my close circle of friends and I would do a water park, followed by ice cream cake. The most low-key day I could think of, but something that would still be fun for all. And it really was!. I only had a momentary freak out when I read the card on my flowers from Mom.
Mom and I do look forward to celebrating our milestone birthday year- her at 70, me at 40 next year, a year late on our 40/70 trip that will hopefully take us back to Wimbledon, followed by perhaps some meandering through Wales. Seems fitting that it’d be delayed…our 30/60 trip happened at 32/62 due to my dad’s passing and all that went with it. Anyway, looking forward for 41/71…eventually.
The birthday always brings up deep thoughts, big ones moreso. Reflecting back, my 20s flew by like the blink of an eye (probably because I was in school until I was 27) but it seemed to me that I was in my 30s forever. I could finally afford to travel, and did, filling up a passport plus (that is, until 2020. Damn you, COVID). I dated up a storm and hadn’t found anyone that I liked hanging out with more than my friends or myself. And more importantly, I was okay with that. I bought my first car, got back into tennis, moved cities, changed jobs twice, bought two different condos and started this little thing called The Hungary Buddha that you’re reading right now. Grandma died, Mom had a too-close call, once-close friends faded into acquaintances and new acquaintances became close friends. I became a pet-parent for the first time on my own, and year by year, life chugged on and here we are.
Life certainly doesn’t look like I thought it would 10 or 20 or 30 years ago, but in some ways, a lot of ways, it’s truly even better than I could have imagined. Turns out, I am my own Harriet, and that, is a pretty darn good thing.
Thanks for being here, and for sticking with me during my mid-life reflection and the last 9 years as I navigated my thirties. I promise to keep you equally, if not more, entertained, for the next 9.
Now, time for some cake.
Or this one?
Maybe this one?
And always, with ice cream.
Have a great week!
