A Birthday Message

So I turned 41 today.  I had high hopes for 40. 

I rang it in with a fabulous night out Boston last year with my terrific husband and our friends!

 

 

I had plans, big plans.  I was going to train and compete in a triathlon or at least get back in shape and run some 5ks.  40 had other plans for me.  40 was like, oh no, I don't think so!  Injuries, lack of time and energy sidelined these plans.

Now It's a year later, I am up a pant size and the only exercise I get lately is playing referee between my two boys.  But, life is good, well most days, let's not kid ourselves. 

While 40 has not been so kind to the body, it has been very good for the soul.  I have incredible friends and family who enrichment my life and never cease to amaze me.  I am comfortable (if I am wearing the right pants) with who I am.  Starting this blog shortly after my 40 birthday (thanks to my amazing friend Laura, who encouraged me) has given me a therapeutic outlet and brought some really great opportunities my way.

In honor of the fabulous women over 40 and to my best friends who will be turning 40, I leave you with this piece by the late Andy Rooney that my friend Sharon put on her Facebook wall a while back. 
Andy Rooney says:
"As I grow in age, I value women who are over forty most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over forty will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask, “What are you thinking?” She doesn’t care what you think.

If a woman over forty doesn’t want to watch the game, she doesn’t sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it’s usually something more interesting.

A woman over forty knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of forty give a hoot what you might think about her or what she’s doing.

Women over forty are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won’t hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it’s like to be unappreciated.
A woman over forty has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn’t trust the guy with other women. Women over forty couldn’t care less if you’re attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won’t betray her.
Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over forty. They always know.

A woman over forty looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not true of younger women. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over forty is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest. They’ll tell you right off if you are a jerk, if you are acting like one! You don’t ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over forty for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed hot woman of forty-plus, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some twenty-two-year-old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize."

*A little disclaimer - upon reading comments on this article, I can not say for sure Andy Rooney wrote this, apparently there is some controversy as to whether or not it was him.  Whoever wrote it, I like it!