Happy Birthday....I'm how old???

Yes, that's me and my younger brother. Clearly the photo speaks for itself and it is obvious that I am not a millennial. Not even close. Next week is my 58th birthday and as I reflect on this past half century and approaching milestone, there are many thoughts going through my head. As I wrote a few months ago, age is just a number yet when you are approaching a milestone, one begins to rethink that line - even while trying to tell myself something different.

In my family, there were many July birthdays - my Dad, my brother, my uncle and I all celebrated in July. When I was a child, we would often have one cake with different groups of candles to celebrate everyone in one shot. On our respective birthday, it was still honored but the family gathering was for everyone. I often felt cheated when I entered school age. On your birthday, your name was announced and the principal would acknowledge your birthday - except for us summer birthdays - we were all lumped together in an end of the year announcement "Happy Birthday to all the summer birthdays". Ugh! Personally, I thought my birthday should be a holiday! But then I got into high school and realized that a summer birthday had more opportunities to celebrate with friends. After all, my younger brother has a winter birthday and his party was cancelled because of a blizzard!

When I became a wife and mother, my birthday often fell during our annual family vacation. A nice dinner would mark the occasion and I truly felt blessed. And I still do - until I think of the number associated with such a celebration. How did I become THIS age?!? I recall my parents age this age; heck I remember my grandparents at this age! They seemed so OLD! I remember my grandparents talking about retirement and social security - now as my husband and I begin to have this conversation, we are thinking about retiring to a warmer climate and taking up some of our hobbies/passions as ways to pass the time. Continuing to work is something we both anticipate doing as we both feel healthy and inspired to continue to do so.

As my birthday approaches each year, I try to take stock of where I am. Not to bemoan passing youth, but rather look at how I can be a better version of myself in the year ahead. Reflect on what the last year brought and what the upcoming trip around the sun can be. I have often referenced Ed Mylett and the positive messages he shares. He always says that we are all here for a reason. We were born to have an impact on someone's life. Maybe we never know who that person is, maybe we are fortunate enough to know who we impact. While it would be nice to have our personal Clarence (It's a Wonderful Life) to show us how we impacted all the people in our life, we should all live our authentic life and impact those around us by showing everyone we are working to create our best life possible. We set that example for our children by working to be our happiest. How can we encourage our children to work hard and reach for the stars, if we are not doing that ourselves?

This is 58. I have some wrinkles, grey hairs and I work hard to stay healthy. I would not trade one minute for anything else and I am grateful and thank God for all my blessings. Regardless of what the year ahead may bring, I know that I will continue to live like....