Yes, it’s my BIRTHDAY! I’m 49 today, which means I’m entering my 50th year!

(Egad, how did that happen???)

I’m not depressed about getting older, as I know many people are. Sure, it’s sobering to realize that I’ve been on the planet so many years and haven’t accomplished as much as my younger self might have dreamed…(though in other ways I’ve accomplished much more).

And it’s annoying that my knees are creakier than they used to be.

And it’s really annoying to live in an ageist culture, where I watch women become more and more invisible as we get older.

And of course, it’s also sobering to come one year closer to my mortality.

Mostly, though, I feel grateful that I’ve gotten to ride the merry-go-round for this long! And that with my years on the planet come greater wisdom, less giving a **** about what other people think, greater self-compassion. [Read more…]