As Another Year Draws to an End…
My favourite time of the year has arrived. As I usher in the mesmerising joy of the holidays, my kitchen is filled with the delicious aroma of freshly baked coffee cake My home just feels warmer. But, I have to say, I have been super giddy this past week because forty years ago today, I was welcomed into the world in the charming, idyllic city of Varanasi.
Let me share a little secret with you… Every time I say “I’m forty”, I find myself giggling within ~ because to me, that number sounds a lot like 19. So when I find myself advising the people who are actually the age I like to think I am, I begin to brim with a sense of wisdom. And the truth is, that at forty, although I may not have reached the age of perfection, I have certainly evolved!
For me, being forty is knowing…
…that as my face gradually gives in to the beauty of the lines that continue to etch deeper, my relationships also strengthen their roots. I rejoice in the choices I have made in my life, and the love that surrounds me. I rejoice in every moment spent in wonder, each belly laugh that has made its mark on my face and has a special place in my heart. I would not want to erase a single one.
…that I absolutely do not cherish every moment in life, but I absolutely do look for moments to cherish. I’ve sadly beheld people close to me lay their parents, spouses, and even children to rest. And every time I saw a soul rest in peace, I am reminded that our days aren’t measured in accomplishments, but what truly counts is our ability to make people feel like they really matter.
…that while I am grateful for the way technology has connected me with friends I do not see often enough, nothing can replace the time spent alongside the people I have loved, learned from, and laughed with through the years.
…that as I count the years gone by, I also count my blessings that have not just made me older, but wiser and more beautiful within. These years have made me ‘more’ in the true sense ~ where I find myself more capable, more loved, and more affable as I welcome another year with the sweet humming of happy birthdays surrounded by people I can never do without!
I look at turning forty as coming home. I have realised that there is this inner peace which you find as you enter a certain age. It brings an end to all the soul-searching as you begin to delight in the person you truly are. Cheers to 40!