I might be crazy but I’m actually kind of stoked about turning 30. Maybe it’s because I’ve been mentally preparing for it for awhile now and I’d like to just get it over with so I can move on. Or maybe it’s because I realize 30 is not that old. Or maybe it’s because I’ve had a pretty full 30 years. Okay, putting it that way makes me feel a bit old.
If I were going to take stock though I could say I’ve lived on three different continents, I’ve worked in many different industries, I’ve travelled and made friends all over the world, I’m educated (in theory) and well on my way to becoming a Doctor of Philosophy, for whatever that’s worth. I’m doing alright I think. Granted, I am single, and to many women turning 30 and being single is a genuine heart-break and confidence shaker. Me, I’m kind of glad that I’m at a point in my life now where that doesn’t bother me. In fact it feels quite good to be standing on my own. I don’t have to subscribe to that rhetoric that says a woman is somehow incomplete or defective if she doesn’t have a man to prop her up. Cry feminism all you want, many if not most women still feel that way even if they would never publicly admit it.
So people always say “30 is the new 20″ to make themselves feel better about aging. My mom recently turned 50 and she told me that she thinks 50 is the new 30, 40 is the new 20. I had a chat with some girlfriends about that and one of them responded, “so does that make 30 the new 10?” If that’s the case I feel like I should be planning a party at the local swimming pool or something. But seriously, absurd as it sounds, there’s something there. I’ll be the first to admit that I went through all kinds of hell in my 20s. Lots of great experiences too, but lots of hell. I’m only now starting to feel like I’m evening out a bit. Maybe once all the hell of becoming an adult subsides, and we’re able to just accept we’re grown up, maybe then are we able to reclaim some of the joy of being younger again. That may not make sense to you, but it makes sense to me in a way that I can’t quite explain right now.
That said, I think I’m going to get out of here and make the most of the last day of my twenties.
September 14, 2007 at 5:51 pm |
Am I only 6 then?
September 14, 2007 at 6:16 pm |
i don’t think it quite works that way… though i’m sure 6 year old you would be very entertaining.
September 14, 2007 at 11:15 pm |
Twenty-nine was the birthday that hit me really hard. I had this moment of crisis where I felt like I only had a year left to live before I would be officially old. Then I turned 30 and instead of old I felt more settled and secure. I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that I’m about to tip over into my late-30s but I do know that age doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it used to.
September 17, 2007 at 10:54 pm |
I remember thinking the same kind of thing when everyone else was mourning the loss of their highschool years. What on earth are you going to miss? Those weren’t the best years. The best years haven’t happened yet. Youth does not equal happiness.
By the way, I tagged you! You can see what that entails on my blog, if you are looking for a way to spend an hour or so…