Recently, many people close to me have had what I consider to be milestone birthdays. My grandfather recently turned 85. A lot of people have a preconceived notion of what 85 will look like but my grandfather is definitely keeping people guessing. My grandfather currently still lives alone, gets his own groceries, and is better than me at algebra (and anything else numbers related).
A few of my friends have turned 30 this year and they could not be in further apart places in life. Some of them are happily married in big houses waiting on child number two, some of them have finally landed the job they have been trying to get for years, some of them are moving overseas, and some of them are dancing on tables.
My two best friends are turning 27 today. I have known one since 2005 and the other since kindergarten. Their shared birthday reminds me that shortly after the new year, I will also turn 27.
I imagine that it is not necessarily a milestone birthday for many people but for me, it is an important age. My mother gave birth to me when she was 27 years old and knowing this my whole life has always made 27 seem like such an “adult” age. I have always felt like 27 is the age where everyone finally puts the pieces together. While I do see a lot of people finally figuring out what they want out of life, I also see some major concerns among my age demographic.
A growing number of women in their twenties are constantly referring to themselves as old. In a time when many people are living well into their 80s and beyond, 27 doesn’t even constitute as middle aged, let alone old. Yet, it is not uncommon to hear a women in her mid to late twenties complain about her age and the many things she believes she should have checked off of a mythical list at this point in life.
My grandparents grew up in a different time when it wasn’t considered polite to ask a woman about her age. Due to this etiquette, I never once heard anyone mention my grandmother’s age. It was almost as if she wasn’t allowed to age. I noticed a trend among many older people in which the women didn’t discuss their ages but the men were always celebrated for getting another year older.
As a person who loves birthdays and life in general, I decided long ago that covering up my age was not going to work for me. I consider every year that I get older to be a victory. I want to celebrate each unique age because I only get one year to be that particular age. Each day is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a positive change in this world and create beautiful memories with the people you love. I truly believe that should be celebrated.
Many women in their late twenties dread each birthday because it gets them closer and closer to 30 years old. While many women are embracing 30, there are still those who take entering a new decade pretty hard. Instead of worrying about what we haven’t accomplished on a timeline that doesn’t really exist or stressing out about wrinkles or gray hair in our future, we should be proud of what we have done so far on this earth. You have made it through, year after year, and chances are that every year you are smarter and wiser! Chances are you are also more comfortable with your friends, your fashion, and your personality. I bet it is safe to say that you have a better idea on what you want your life to look like than you did five years ago. I dare say you may have even accepted certain parts of your body more than you did in recent years.
Many of us grow and mature for the better as the years go on. Many women find that they have a better sense of self and are overall happier with life. If life keeps getting better and better each year, why are we worried about becoming women of a certain age? I believe that we have the power to embrace each new age and celebrate it to the fullest extent, whether we are turning 30 or 80. With all of this fabulous stuff going on in your life, why worry about a number?
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