+ I’ve become comfortable with my body. I don’t analyze it to death or shame it. I’m super grateful for it – not b/c it’s perfect, & not b/c it fits the world standards, but b/c I’m thankful for all it does for me all day. I can get out of bed. I can play with my kids. I can sit at their ball games. I can serve my patients. I can work out. It’s a good body; I refuse to shame it for aging or changing. It’s not what it used to be, yet I appreciate it much more.
+ I’ve known true friendship. Friendships have morphed & changed over the years, but b/c I’m secure in my own identity, I’m secure in the relationships I have as well. I don’t expect people to fill me up – God does that. But I do know who the people are that will love & support me & my family. I know who I can call if something bad happens. I know who will actually pray for me & my kids & follow up & check in to see how we’re doing.
+ I’m secure in who God made me to be & what He placed me on this earth to do. I’m ok with Him pushing me outside my comfort zone, but I also know the strengths & gifts He’s given me. I no longer question how I’m using my time, if I’m supposed to be at home or work more, & whether I’m the best at what I do (b/c that doesn’t really matter). My job is to serve & love people well. I can do that in a lot of ways. But as long as God is leading me, I know He will help me do that to the best of my ability, whether in the clinic, church, home with my kids, or gym. If he calls me to quit my job tomorrow, I know He’s just going to use me somewhere else, & I can be content with that. Success does not define me.
+ Marriage is comfortable & overall easy. I’m not saying we don’t have hard days. We still have arguments. But we’ve learned how to communicate. We’ve learned how to apologize. We’ve learned what’s not worth making a big deal over. We’re on each other’s team. We respect each other, encourage each other’s gifts, & are both willing to make sacrifices for the other person’s good. There will always be hard days & times, but I feel confident we’ll walk through them together.
+ I get to see my kids growing into the people they’re becoming. I can have real conversations with them & hard conversations with them. But I also get to cheer them on in the things they love, help grow the gifts they’ve been given, & encourage them as they continue to grow into the people God has called them to be. Every stage of parenting is hard, but every stage is also so good, & I love this stage a lot.
Aging is a gift. Let’s not listen to the nonsense that we shouldn’t look like we’re aging. I’ll take my 40s over my 20s any day, wrinkles & all! 😉
