ode to 41

happy birthday to me.
what's so special about 41?  it's not 40, it's definitely not 21.  no...it's 21 PLUS 20 more!!

but i still get excited when it's my birthday, and i'm not letting 41 stop me from my childhood anticipation of a birthday.

so happy birthday to me, even 41! I will not pretend to be younger.  I will celebrate another year.  getting older is seen as scary.  but me, I want to embrace it.

I found my first grey hair at 20.  I pulled it out.  No! I don't want to be old.  But there it was, beckoning me, taunting me, reminding me that getting older is....ummm, natural.
so why fight what is natural?
celebrate it
celebrate me
celebrate life

here I am at 41 feeling young inside.  so much goodness has happened in my life these past few years
I have found myself.  I have shed off some of my false layers.  Like a facial to the soul.  I feel freer. Lighter. Happier.  YES! happier.  how can that be?  I'm 41 you say.  Nope, 41 is a good number.  It's my number today.

So go ahead and wonder, is she going crazy? maybe age is getting to her early.  maybe she had a little too much to drink.  You can wonder.  But I know.  I am 41, and it's ok.  I'm 41 and it's not a day too old.  Today I am soberly happy.  And I don't mind telling you, or anyone, that it's truly good to be aging.

And grey hairs?  YUP, I got WAY TOO many to pluck on this birthday.  They are sparkling in the sunlight.  Not even hidden by color.  Just there to remind me, I'm not going backwards in my age.
Nope...just forwards.

So, happy birthday to me.
Happy birthday to the one I know best.  Me.
And I am happy to be alive.  Happy to be me.  Thank you for bringing me this far.
Happy birthday Lori!