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Sunday, May 20, 2007

If this is 41, when will I start feeling like a grown-up?

I turned 41 today.
Who knew 41 could feel so young?
Who knew I'd still know so little about the meaning of life?
Who knew I'd still have so many doubts and insecurities?
Who knew I'd still often feel like I'm just "playing house"?
Who knew I'd still get zits and blackheads like a teenager?
Who knew I'd still dream about "what I'm gonna do when I grow up"?

41 feels anticlimactic after 40. Last year there was a big party to celebrate. There was a new nose-piercing to mark the day. There was a jump out of an airplane to prove I'm still young and very much alive and haven't lost my risk-taking abilities.

Today there is little other than an occasional "happy birthday" greeting or phone call, a supper with Marcel's family, and an afternoon of quiet and perhaps even boredom. The weather's unpleasant, two people in the family are sick, and there's not much to do that can be done inside and doesn't cost much money. I think I'll go curl up under my blankie and read a few pages until my eyes drift shut.

Maybe I AM getting old if an afternoon nap is a suitable way to spend a birthday afternoon.

24 comments:

Liz said...

Happy Birthday!

I can't believe I've "known" you over a year, because I remember all that stuff when you wrote about it.

And 41 is definitely NOT old!

andrea said...

Happy Birthday Heather! As for 41, you're going to have to nap faster than that if you're going to catch up to me...

mmichele said...

feeling blue?

Linda said...

If curling under a blanket and reading a book means you're getting old, you go girl!

Anvilcloud said...

You'll likely be saying, "Who knew?" again in ten and even twenty years.

Stephanie said...

Happy Birthday! Hooray for 41!

tlawwife said...

Happy Birthday!!

I'm thinking a peaceful day in bed reading and taking a nap would be a great gift to myself.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday - I'm not yet 40 - but I think having a nap all to myself sounds like a perfect afternoon!!!

The Passarelli's said...

Happy Birthday heather!

From the old man of 56.

Mike Passarelli.

Cuppa said...

They say life begins at forty - so - Happy Birthday you cute little One-year-old you!

Curling up under a blankie and having an afternoon nap sounds pretty good to me! Hope you enjoyed the day.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Heather! Yay!! :)

Lucia said...

Happy Birthday!

You've touched a chord for me. I struggle with age. (I'm older than you.) And not feeling my age. But aware that my body is changing. And getting a tattoo (instead of a nose piercing) and still dreaming of the jump from the plane.

BTW...my time in Belgium gave me some time to catch up with my colleagues from Ten Thousand Villages - Canada. I only get a chance to talk with them every year or two.

Whippersnapper said...

Happy birthday Heather!!

Yah, the weather sure is crappy this weekend: we went for a picnic by the airport and almost died, it was so cold. What were we thinking?

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Friend.

Did you get my cared? I sent it a few weeks ago.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday - a day late.

A nap sounds like a great way to celebrate and I just turned 30.

Gina said...

Belated Happy Birthday wishes to you, Heather!

Judy said...

Happy Birthday, Heather!

I was seven almost eight when you were born.

I knew more then than I do now.

Naps are good.

Pamela said...

now they'll start coming like a blitzkrieg... boom boom boom.. and you'll be uh... 50 or more


napping gets much more appealing

-Me- said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hope said...

Happybirthday Heather

karla said...

Happy Birthday Heather! An afternoon nap sounds like the most heavenly way to spend a birthday to me, but then again, I think your sense of adventure is about a billion times more alive than mine.

Anonymous said...

Okay that picture is just freaky :)

Happy birthday, gorgeous.

Krista said...

Happy belated birthday, Heather! I'm sorry it felt anticlimactic. Although, I sometimes find climactics traumatizing, so I'll wish you balance this year and not too much climactization. Or is that climatization? What the heck am I talking about anyway? Who knows.

Oh well. Happy birthday all the same!

Janet said...

And HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY from John and me also! Your birthday is the day before John's, BTW.

Listen, Heather, I'm almost 56 and wonder what "I'm going to do with myself when I grow up" ALL THE TIME!!! ;-)

Janet