Happy Birthday to Me!

Tomorrow, May 14th is all about me. I plan to attend weekly Friday morning mass and Perpetual Adoration with my husband, have breakfast at IHop, let my maids houseclean, sun bask at the lake, read a  book, and have dinner with friends. Simple stuff.

I shall be 64 years old. How the heck did that happen? I remember as a child thinking that only grandmothers were 64, and I wondered what I would be like when I arrived at that aged number. Well, here it is!

I realize that my emotional age does not match my chronological age. I feel young, except when I Jazzercise 6 days in a row for an hour each day and have to empty a bottle Advil bottle into my mouth to ease the pain in my muscles.

My career is over, and my life has changed drastically. Instead of basking in the joy of watching my children grow up and become independent, my grandchildren bring me a different kind of joy. I have more time to observe their little milestones, spend time reading to and entertaining them, and bother their parents with my wisdom about childrearing.

I am botoxed, manicured, and pedicured. I always knew I would not age well. I sleep with Frownies on my forehead, magical creams on my face, and whitening strips on my teeth. I wish my body would defy gravity. I am considering plastic surgery, but I want my grandchildren to see my expressions, so maybe not . . . .

I don't suppose any woman considering a facelift would ask her plastic surgeon to make her look like a grandmother.

I have the wisdom to look back on my life and consider the choices I made. Wisdom trumps the challenges of risk-taking. Youth is terribly frightening. What adult wants to relive the angst of adolescence, the stress of the job market, or the worry of childearing? There is a sense of calm and confidence about life at this age. We have the option of becoming self-serving and independent. Climbing the ladder of success or obsessing about minor life details suddenly do not seem so important. An afternoon spent napping, luxuriating in the sun's rays, reading a good book, watching a grandchild sleep, contemplating, or enjoying the beauty of a flower garden is soul-fulfilling.

Life is good.