40 is the new ??

So, I'm 40. FORTY! It came and went with little fanfare. I woke up Saturday feeling the same as I felt when I went to bed Friday night. Looked the same, too, as far as I could tell. So what's the big deal? Why do people fret and moan and dread turning 40?

Idunno.

I'm fairly certain that a large reason that it didn't bother me in the least is because it didn't appear to phase either of my parents in the least. If it did, neither of them showed it. This, too, is probably a large part of why gray/silver hair did and does not freak me out. I have a good amount of that, too.

But I digress.

When my dad turned 40, my mom threw a surprise party for him. (It took two attempts as my dad, who NEVER got sick when I was growing up, had a hideous cold or the flu or something and my mom had to postpone the party for a week later, when he was feeling somewhat, but not all the way, human again). I don't remember necessarily thinking that 40 was old at that time (I was 9.5 at the time); but I do remember thinking it would be FOREVER before *I* was 40. I mean, my GOD. 40!

As I finished high school and went away to school, 25 no longer became so far away. By then my parents were pushing 60 and they certainly weren't old. Heck, my grandfather was in his 80s and HE wasn't old, either.

I blew past 25 (wondering why *I* didn't get a huge insurance discount like Hubby had the year before... hrmph), and waddled my way toward 30 while pregnant with Keeper Boy. Blew past 30, popped out another kid, and nope... still not old. But that 40 was creeping up on me fast.

So now here I am on the other side... joining a lot of my friends who crossed the fence before me. What do ya know? We're all still young and [sometimes] hip (though our now teenagers and tweens would probably tell you otherwise). And I'm once again redefining old. Because now my dad is 70 and mom will join him next year. They're STILL not old (most of the time). ;-P

I'm on the fence about 80. I know people in their 80s who ARE old. And I know people in their 80s who most definitely are NOT old.

But hey... I still have another whole lifetime until I get THERE! Today, 40 is looking pretty good!