Today is my 51st birthday.
I can’t believe I’m that old.
I’ll say what everybody else says.
I do NOT feel that old.
Honestly I feel like a really wise and experienced thirty-year-old who is finally comfortable in her own skin, no longer gives a fuck about the judgments of other people, and who is able to tolerate discomfort in order to get to the good stuff.
Nobody in my family did anything for my birthday.
Actually that’s not true.
I did get two homemade cards.
But that was only after I reminded my kids that they all forgot to wish me a happy birthday.
ππππππ
We had school and a couple of appointments, so it was business as usual.
I did take Number 6 and 7 on a little hike.
What I really wanted to do was go to my parents’ house and go for a run while the kids hung out and played in my parents’ back yard.
And that’s exactly what I did.
Number 3, 6, and 7 were all playing catch with my dad as I headed out for a run.
“WHY ARE YOU GOING FOR A RUN ON YOUR BIRTHDAY???” Number 3 asked.
“BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO BE FIT ON HER BIRTHDAY!!!” yelled Number 7.
“EXACTLY,” I told her.
It has been a long week.
I just wanted to go for a nice run. Alone.
That’s how my brain decompresses.
So that’s what I did.
It was perfect running weather here in CT.
When I was done I scheduled a two hour massage for myself on Sunday.
YEP. A TWO HOUR MASSAGE.
You don’t have to wait for other people to celebrate you on your special day.
Celebrate your damn self!
I’m doing that by taking care of myself inside and out.
By being good to my body and my brain.
It feels good to have reached this stage of life. The stage where the gift I want to give myself is health.
It may not be sexy or exciting.
Well not to a thirty-year-old.
But to me a 51-year-old chick who is in better shape than she was twenty years ago is kinda sexy.
And a 2 hour massage?
THAT’S REALLY EXCITING.
It’s all about perspective.
And the perspective on top of this 51-year-old mountain is pretty darn good.
Happy birthday to me!
Melissa says
Good for you Susie! You seem to have figured out what really matters in life! Yesterday was my daughter’s 16th birthday (agh!).
Jennifer says
Susie…you are freakin AMAZING! Itβs crazy that it takes us half of our life to figure shit out…but you did! Hoping you had the best birthday massage…Iβm sure it was incredible! π β€οΈ
Leslie says
Happy Birthday! Wishing you many blessings in the coming year!
Donna says
Happy Birthday!!