Turning 40, how did you feel??

[Harlan Norris]

For many it is difficult time in their life to turn 40.... How was it for you?? What did you do??

30 was pretty tough. 40 wasn't so bad. 50 was a breeze.

 

[headedhome]

40 wasn't to bad, but I just turned 46 and am struggling with that number some.

 

[precious stone]

I turned 40 two years ago. I guess it went smoothly. But if I were still single, I would probably find it very difficult to accept that. But being married made it quite different. I have a home, a husband and 2 young kids. I see myself growing old each year, and sometimes, I look at the photo albums and see how young I was then. But I don't think I wish to go back that time again. Maybe I wish I could have studied Linguistics and master at least 3 languages, so that I can be more useful in helping others when comes to languages. I'm a late bloomer.

If one is too concerned over looks, that will be quite discouraging. And many women do go for plastic surgery. I suppose we learn to grow old gracefully. The Bible does not despise gray hair.... It said somewhere in Proverbs, I can't remember where exactly though.

 

[Ritz]

I've had a full 40 plus years so if I died tomorrow,I'd leave a piece of me.Every year it gets easier to age. I have to tell myself this

 

[If Not For Grace]

Turning 40 did not bother me one bit, but 30, seemed a big deal... Glad I'm over it.

 

[flaglady]

Oh, you youngsters!! The best is yet to come!
I'm 64 on Saturday next and feel like I'm still a 30 year old.
The year I turned 40 I learned to swim and to ride a horse, but best of all I learned about Jesus! Hallelujah!

Now at 63(4!) I do flags in church and declare that I'm more frenetic with them during worship than most of the youngsters!

And I'm getting a shofar so we'll see what that brings!

 

[NewCovenant]

Turning 30 was a piece of cake for me, and my 40th was fantastic. I was so looking forward to my 40th birthday. My kids were finally all leaving home (I started young) and I had the place to myself. Now, at almost 43, my daughter has come home with 2 babies. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I was enjoying the peace and quiet. I feel like I'm starting over again, and I don't have the energy I did 20 years ago!

 

[country woman]

When I turned 40 it was no big deal just the same as when I was 39.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

Same here. Turning 40 was anticlimatic compared to the hype about it being a really monumental big deal. It wasn't.

 

[HisEagle]

How about a perspective from someone about to turn 40? I have the big 4-0 coming up in 10 days, and I'm both depressed and looking forward to it. I'm depressed, because I'm nowhere near where I would have liked to have been at this age - I still live in an apartment, I still don't make more than $20,000 a year, I'm still single, still have no kids and I've already started getting the gray hair. But I'm also looking forward to it because I'm so tired of being in my 30's, and turning 40 represents the one final step into mature adulthood. I think people look their best when they are in their 40's, and I kinda look at this as a fresh start. I feel like I will finally have the permission to do what I want with my life, without worrying about whether it's too young or too old for me.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

I like your attitude Groundhog. And happy almost 40th birthday to you.

I wanted to remind everyone, if they haven't already, please vote. Thank you. http://www.christianforums.com/t2121171-vote-for-new-forum-name.html&page=3#post18886893

 

[Lisa0315]

I am two years away and I am in complete denial.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

Denying it, or embracing it... makes no difference. We all get older. It's a fact of life. So, it's best to just have a good attitude about it...or resign to being unhappy.

None of us feel our age. I know I don't. And I know everyone I've talked to about this, doesn't either. We look in the mirror and don't recognize who we see. I'm 29 inside.... and always will be. Because 29 was when I first came into my own. When I was first okay with me.

My 64 year old mother is 16 inside. And when you hear her laugh, and look into her eyes, it's pretty clear, she is.

Our body's are where we are held captive...for a time. Who we are, isn't ready to accept that the ever decaying prison of our body is who we are. We're all somewhat in denial about that.

I don't feel 42 either. Almost 43. I look back at my life and wonder how I went from being "too young" to being "over the hill" as someone referred to recently of our age group. To me, accepting getting old is giving up. It's saying, Okay, I'm ready to die now. Which in my opinion is self defeatest and just plain stupid.

But...that's just me. When I was 38...I felt a little exposed. Like those dreams you have about going to school naked. I was a little too self aware to be in my comfort zone. Fortunately, at 42, my attitude is different.

Basically, you can go with the flow and enjoy the ride. Or you can hold on for dear life, refusing to. Some times...you just have to let go.

 

[buffedstuff]

..........................

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

 

[Mela'h]

ready. I felt like the I'm coming out song.

Thank you buffedstuff, I will now have that song stuck in my head all day!


"I, I'm coming,out, I'm coming, out. I'm coming out, I want the world to know, got to let it show....."