This Is 40

Good morning, friends! Today's a special day -- today I turn 40. I know a lot of women feel stressed about getting older, and there was a time in my life when I did, too. But today I am embracing it.

This is me -- gray hair, midlife acne, and all.

Everything was really starting to get weird around my birthday last year, so it kind of passed by without much of an acknowledgment. And the past year has certainly been strange and hard and full of all sorts of challenges. For me, though, I feel like this year has been a bit of a gift. Whether it was a result of the pandemic or just a happy coincidence, I have found over the past year that I've gotten more comfortable in my own skin (even if my skin continues to give me problems!), I've gotten physically stronger thanks to being more active, and I have grown a lot intellectually and emotionally thanks to reading better and journaling (mostly) daily. I have developed and solidified some wonderful friendships with many of you and strengthened my relationships with my family, especially Rainbow, thanks to all the time we've had for serious conversations. I have gained real appreciation for what I have -- my home, my job, my health. I am very lucky in so many ways.

I had my annual physical at my doctor on Friday, and it really brought home how far I've come in the last few years. You may recall that about three years ago I made some big changes in my diet and my lifestyle to improve my health (and yes, lose weight, but that was an effort mainly to bring my cholesterol down). I've kept up, mostly, with the dietary changes -- I'll admit I've been indulging in chocolate a bit more during the pandemic -- and working from home has been great in enabling me to exercise every day. I'm probably in the best shape I've been in since I was an active kid, and I feel strong. After too many years of being uncomfortable with my body, I now feel proud of it. The body I have carried and gave birth to an amazing daughter. It's capable of taking me on my daily excursions around my neighborhood. It can lift and bend and stretch without too much effort or pain. It's the only one I have, and I'm committed to keeping it strong for the long haul.

I could get really philosophical and sappy, but I won't. All I will say is thank you, friends, for enriching my life. It's been quite a year, but in many ways it's been a good one.

I will close by sharing a photo of one of my birthday gifts from my brother and sister-in-law, who really knocked it out of the park with their thoughtfulness:

Read the labels!

Have a great day!