Today is my 35th birthday. A few weeks ago, if you had asked me, I would had said I was not looking forward to it. I don't feel that way any more. This birthday is still bittersweet, but I know that all coming birthdays will be met with the enthusiasm of a woman who has accomplished something.
I now shake my head in disbelief when anyone seems to be ashamed of their age. This seems to be a particular habit among women, and I was reminded of this the other day when watching Mary Tyler Moore. In this episode Phyllis, Mary's dramatic downstairs neighbor, announced that she and Mary will enact some female bonding by "revealing our true age!"Mary rolls her eyes and says "I'm 34" with utter lack of interest, but Phyllis hems and haws and eventually utters in a quietly dramatic voice "I am 43 years old."
Forgive me if I no longer have patience for someone who is ashamed of how long they have lived!
In order to commemorate this day, I have been working on a small list of things I have learned this year:
1. My arms are double jointed
2. Our garden can be abundant and successful (even in a bad year!)
3. Ground cherries make wonderful jams and pies
4. I miss Seattle, but I am starting to think of Marinette as home
5. My dog is even more neurotic than I originally believed
6. I am a good teacher
7. I can knit more than just hats and scarves (hello Soctopus!)
8. Pine trees look larger in the woods than in the living room
9. Midwesterners are kind, in general
10. I am stronger than I ever imagined
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2 comments:
Amen, Amy. Amen! Have a very happy birthday.
11. you are loved and supported more than you can imagine.
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