I am turning 44 this year. Sometimes I think back to what I thought about aging when I was younger. I thought that you grow up, you experience things, you learn, you hurt, you change, you figure things out. And then, when you are 30 or 40 years old, you are that person that will stay the same until you die. To my surprise, this is not the case at all. In your forties, you are still very much figuring things out. You might finally be strong enough to face things you avoided in the past. You suddenly have new interests. You see things differently; you struggle with things that did not faze you before. And happiness happens in different ways. This was a big surprise to me! How great is it, that we will change and develop for the rest of our lives!
A big change for me was without a doubt the birth of my son at 39. Having had a challenging pregnancy, birth and first year, I built a relationship with my little man that is my greatest gift. For me, becoming a Mama erased who I used to be. I found myself lost before redefining who I am. And yes, I am very much enjoying the ride. I am grateful to see the world through his eyes. And for getting asked 1000 questions a day. It is like being born again.
I look at younger women with a lot of empathy. I remember how confusing it is to find your way in the world. Who am I? What do I want? What do I need? Where do I fit in? I just want to tell them that it is ok to struggle and to get lost once in a while. It will all be fine in the end. Just enjoy the ride! And for me personally, it gets more peaceful in your head and in your heart.