Boy shorts, a wedding ring, standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and getting kicked in the face by a bull have made for a pretty interesting decade. Believe me when I tell you I have stories to tell! As I tread 39 all too quickly, it is quite clear to me that life has gotten progressively better over the years. Each decade has kicked the other to the curb with its improvements. The thirties definitely put the twenties in their place – the past.
Looking back, it seems like I spent my twenties worrying. You know what I mean. Do I look fat in this? Should I wear that? Is anybody going to hire me? Should I take that job? Will there be something better? What was I thinking? Do you remember what happened last night? What’s left in the fridge to eat? Should I move? What are people going to think? Is this nice enough? Why does nobody want to marry me? How am I going to pay for new tires? Am I seriously the biggest loser ever? What is wrong with me? It was a decade of questions with no perfect answers.
But if my twenties were Me 2.0, my thirties have been Me 3.0: a definite step up. I got married. I got my Master’s degree. I went to France. I bought a house, and I most definitely gained a little perspective. It
occurred to me that I am extremely blessed.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t live in a mansion. I haven’t become a famous writer (YET – Did you hear me, God?). I haven’t hung out on a beach knowing I didn’t have to go back to work ever, but I have a guy who loves me even when I’m swampy and living in pajama pants, I can look at my checking account without crossing my fingers and peeking, and I’m not dying of cancer. What’s not to love?
See, we’re not just those people transitioning from Cosmo to Real Simple Magazine, from Beverly Hills, 90210 to NCIS, and kamikaze shots to a glass of wine. It can’t be said that we’re boring, it’s more to say we’ve had our moments, and luckily, most of the embarrassing ones happened pre-Facebook! We are the people that have seen just the right amount of life to know how special it is.
We were post-invention-of-the-TV and indoor plumbing but pre-cell phone. We know the thrill of getting our first VCR and the agony of turning the channel for our dads. We talked about the Duke Boys and had pictures of Malcolm Jamal Warner, Kirk Cameron, and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen taped to our bedroom walls. We lived for the Brat Pack. We thirty-somethings have seen the world go from 45 records to iPods.
We remember when MTV played music. We dared to sing “Like a Virgin.” We made Michael Jackson popular, and we were there to see his demise. We’ve gone from telephone operators to video chat. We remember our first cell phone which rivaled our can of beer in size, and we remember watching Zack Morris use his cordless in lustful admiration. We remember writing research papers on paper… with a pen. We had big bangs (and not the Sheldon and Leonard kind, the Poison kind). We watched Michael Jordan fly and Keri Strug land a gold medal on one ankle. We saw the Berlin Wall come down. We know exactly where we were on 9/11 and the inner pride of being an American. We loved Judy Blume. We remember our parents reading books to us when they tucked us in, and yet, at this point, we’ve learned enough to be capable of playing Words with Friends on our phones and asking Siri for directions.
We’ve seen the before and the after. We are at that meaty age of having stories to tell and knowing that the world has changed around us. We’ve seen it. We’ve experienced it, and we’re making our places in it. In fact, John Cougar told us life goes on, pretty fast at times according to our friend, Ferris, and that’s why we know we need to look around sometimes, and be thankful for it…
Bio
As a self-proclaimed herder of kids, cattle, and words, Bolton Carley is a blogger, writer, teacher, and farmer’s daughter keen on finding life’s humorous side. A jack of all trades writing-wise, check out her verse novella, life lessons blog, poetry and photography, advice column, and all other things BC.
This was so well written that I’m seriously printing it out so I can accurately quote you the next time I give a toast or well wishes for a birthday. Just two months away from 39, I remember all these experiences and laughed my head off thinking of Zack Morris and his big phone. I do secretly love that we grew up before the Internet and no what’s it’s like to entertain ourselves without electronics. I’m trying to teach that particular skill to my own children, but I’m pretty sure it’s a wash. Thanks for sharing and please let me know when you start writing those books. If I like your posts this much, I’ll be President of your fan club. :-)
Ramsay – the books are written but I haven’t tried to sell them yet. Hopefully this summer! Thank you so much for the kind words. I look back on those years with love, as well. Best of luck teaching your children that. I’ve been trying to instill that in some kids, too. Not an easy lesson to learn. Definitely check out my blog if you haven’t. It’s this same kind of stuff: http://[email protected]. Again, thanks for reading! :)
I loved this stroll through memory lane. To think I feel ill when separated from my iPhone today… yesterday seems so much simpler. And fun.
I’ll happily trade my Redbook in for a Judy Blume paperback.
I am so glad to be part of these 30’s where I can look back and say, ‘Yeah, I remember that!” Good times!
This post made me smile today. I loved the trip and I equally love your writing.
Thank you so much for the nice comment! Now you made my day! I do love reliving those days. It is fun, isn’t it? But as much as I love Judy, I’m not going back. I’ll keep my Redbook. :)
Ahhhh love this post and all the memories it has recalled. Thanks!
Thanks so much for reading and liking it! It is nice to relive those old days, isn’t it? :)
Thanks for the memories