Today is the last day I will be 59 years old. Tomorrow I turn the BIG 6-0! Earlier this week I was telling a friend that I was turning 60 on Friday. Her response was, “Oh my gosh, that’s soon! How does that make you feel?” It’s as if she was panicking for me.
I know that 60 is a BIG number, but I don’t look at it that way. I told my friend that I feel that turning 60 is like a badge of honor to me. What a privilege it is to be alive for 6 decades! I know a lot of people who haven’t been as fortunate.
Many say that they are “59 and holding”. They don’t want to admit they have entered into a new decade. But I feel differently. I want to embrace this birthday and any other birthdays that I may be fortunate enough to have.
I know that everyone has different life circumstances. That’s what makes each of us so unique.
But for me, I realize life has been kind to me over these past 6 decades. Of course there have been ups and downs along the way. I have had my fair share of health concerns and have lost a number of loved ones at a young age. But overall, I feel so fortunate.
I was lucky enough to have wonderful parents who loved me and gave me a great foundation in life. I am so grateful that I met my amazing husband and life companion, Bob, in my mid-twenties. After a decade of struggle, I finally had my one and only son. Looking back on my 6 decades, trying to build a family was the hardest part of my life, but also having Scott has been most joyous and rewarding.
I have always put my heart and soul into everything I have done, and most of what I do has been for others. I have been a loving, supportive and faithful wife. I was privileged to touch the lives of thousands of children who came through my classrooms during my teaching career. My greatest accomplishment, together with Bob, has been raising and educating our son. And my friends have always been so incredibly important to me. I’ve traveled a lot as a Navy wife and had 14 moves in the first 12 years of our marriage. My friends have been the family that I’ve been able to choose, when my own family has dwindled and the ones remaining live so far away..
I am a woman of compassion and feel called to live a purposeful life. I have given time, money and energy to countless charities and organizations because I feel it is the way I can do God’s work here on Earth.
But on my last day before turning 60, I’d like my mantra to be,
“I’m 59 and NOT holding back!
I want to celebrate this milestone birthday in style!
When my husband asked me what I’d like to do for my 60th birthday, I told him I just want to surround myself with my friends and family. I want to sing and dance and laugh and drink champagne and have some crazy fun with the people who mean the most to me in life. So, my wonderful husband and son and my best friend set up a karaoke party in a local German pub. I want to tell all the people in the room how much they mean to me. I want to tell them OUT LOUD that I love them, and I want to laugh until my sides hurt.
In the days, months and years to come, I want to live boldly, but age gracefully. I want to embrace opportunities for personal growth and not worry about how silly I look or what people may think about me. I want to seize opportunities to learn. I want to travel, experience new cultures and ways of life. I want to take the time to develop new skills. I want to learn to paint, to draw, and to learn a new craft. I want to continue to write, to inspire and to embrace every wrinkle and flaw that I’m fortunate enough to earn. And I never want to stop showing others how much I love them.
So cheers to living each day to the fullest, to turning 60 and to NOT Holding Back!
In-Fertility & Friendship,
Sue
