Celebrating Sixty

One month from today, on May 24th, I will turn 60 years old.  I am not normally someone who makes a big deal out of my birthday, but I’m having some difficulty acknowledging the fact that I will be SIXTY this year.  So, in order to ease into my new decade, I have asked some of my friends to help me. I asked them to write a short essay, talking about what “age” was their favorite age and why.  I asked them: What did you accomplish that year? What were your dreams? Did you go somewhere on a trip that left a lasting impression? Did you meet your true love? Did you learn something about yourself that you needed to know?  Several of them responded, and I will be posting their stories throughout the next month. Here is the first one, written by Rachel, of Yellow Tennessee:

I have spent the entire weekend racking my brain trying to figure out what my favorite age has been.  Like everyone, I have had some amazing experiences in my life that I will never forget.  I have also had some horrible experiences in my life that I will never forget.

When I was 14 years old I moved with my family from St Louis to South Africa.  I spent 2 years there.  I met some amazing people, some of who I am still friends with to this day. Of course being a 14 year old girl, if you had asked me then, moving to South Africa was the worst thing that had ever happened to me.

Although I didn’t know it at the time, when I was 19 years old, I met the man I was going to marry.  He became my best friend in the whole world.  We shared some equally amazing times and some not so amazing times in our friendship.

I used to think that 20 was my favorite age.  It was a good year.  There was not a single event that occurred that made it really stand out.  But I felt as though I was in a good place.  Becoming the type of adult I wanted to be while still being young and carefree.

At the age of 28, I married my best friend.  This day still goes down in history as one of the best days of my entire life.

When I was 30 years old I had my first baby.  My beautiful baby boy.  He is hands down the funniest, smartest, most amazing little boy I have ever met.

After almost 4 years of trying when I was 35, I had my second baby.  My gorgeous baby girl.  This girl is the light of my life.  She is awesome and never fails to bring a smile to my face.

As I approach 37 and with my wonderful friend Karen approaching 60, I have spent a lot of time trying to really figure out what my favorite age has been.  And to be honest, I cannot come up with one.  I have had some years that were marked by incredible experiences.  I have become a wife, a mother twice and have had even had the awesome opportunity to become a self employed blogger.  I have seen the world and met some of the most amazing people.  And I cannot wait to see what comes next.  So instead of picking a favorite year, I have to say I am just so thankful to God for an amazing life.  Every experience I have had has made me into the woman I am today.  So far I wouldn’t change any of it for anything in the world.

Happy upcoming 60th Birthday Karen.  Thank you for asking me to be a part of your celebration.  I hope you have an amazing year!

If you would like to contribute to this series, please send me an email with your story, a picture or two, and a link to your blog if you have one.