Thoughts on Turning 50

Well, friends, I made it. I've hit the half-century mark. I can't say I am excited, exactly, to be here, but really -- why not? Life is good, and I have been blessed in my life with love, health, friends, and family for 50 years now. How could that not make me happy? Every day brings me something new to be thankful for. In days I am 18,280 days old. If I had only one thing to be thankful for for each day of life, it would be quite a list -- but there are many things that bring me to a sense of gratitude every single day. My list stretches miles long.

Being 50 is something that I am adjusting to. I know it's only a number. I know that we are all getting older at the very same rate, that I am no older or younger than you than I was yesterday, or last month, or 10 years ago. In fact, the older I get, the less the "age difference" seems to matter between me and my friends -- some of whom are older and some who are younger. Some quite a bit older or younger. Among my closest friends I can name some who are nearing 60 and others who are barely past 30. Age is not the most important determining factor in who is or is not my friend. Shared interests, experiences, values -- some sort of commonality-- is what binds me to another person. It has little to do with the number of sunrises and sunsets we have seen or the number of breaths drawn since birth, when speaking literally. It's more about how these measures of life are experienced that matters to me. Someone who never looks up at the sky with a sense of wonder and imagination, who never takes a deep breath, holds it in and slowly lets it out in a mindful way, being thankful for the ability to breath and smell and for the scent of life in that breath (be it lilacs or baby poop) -- that person could never understand me in a way that would allow us to become true friends.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of my birth, I have decided to come up with my “Top 50” list – a list of things that make me happy to be who I am and where I am in this journey through life. These are in no particular order.

1. My parents – without them I wouldn’t be here. They have loved me and guided me my whole life. They gave me the proverbial “roots and wings” needed to become a happy, functional adult and parent to my own children. They grounded in the Word of God and instilled in me a sense of wonder in the world, both physical and spiritual.
2. My husband. God raised up a wonderful man for me. He is not perfect, but we are a good fit, perfect compliments to each other. Our teamwork as parents is uncanny at times. Where I am weak, he is strong and vice versa. I love him with all my heart, even when he is driving me crazy. :-)
3. My children. Every day they amaze and delight me. Sometimes they frustrate me. They are an awesome responsibility and gift from God. I am their biggest fan, in everything they do. I support them in following whatever dreams God gives them.
4. My sisters. What a great gift that they are not only part of my family, but also some of my very best friends.
5. My brother. He is the strongest person I know, my inspiration. The way he has dealt with adversity in his life is the example I turn to whenever I face it in mine. His faith is incredible, his humor invincible. Along with him I have to include his wife, Susie. She is my role model for love, devotion, patience and compassion.
6. Music. Without it I couldn’t dance through life. Sometimes it fires me up, sometimes it calms me down. It colors my world.
7. Flowers. I love their colors, their scents, their variety. I love them in greenhouses, in florist shops, in my yard, on my table, or growing wild in the ditch by the side of the road. Who can look at a flower and not feel better?
8. Coffee. I love to wake up to the aroma of coffee brewing. I love that first, freshly brewed cup in the morning. I have many happy memories that are tied up with coffee, from waking up early in the morning at my Grandma’s house when I was a little girl, to late nights at college, to morning chats with my girlfriends, to coffee in bed delivered by my husband – his special way of showing me he loves me.
9. Babies. It doesn’t matter to me what species the babies are – puppies, kitties, bunnies, birds, or butterflies. Of course, I love people babies the best, but the miracle of birth and the innocence of babies never fails to bring me hope.
10. Swings. They make me feel like I can fly. They rock me like a little child. No matter how old I am, when I see a swingset, I can’t resist getting on and soaring through the air, the higher the better! A porch swing or a lawn swing invites me to slow down, relax, contemplate.
11. Girlfriends. They do for me what my husband cannot. They understand what it means to be a woman. With them I can share the joys and frustrations of being female.
12. Books. They are my window into worlds both real and imagined that I could never get to on my own. I read for knowledge and I read for pleasure. I read to grow.
13. Computers. What a wonderful tool for communication. What a helpful instrument for organization. A modern marvel – probably the most revolutionary invention of my lifetime.
14. Cameras. How else could you so perfectly capture a memory?
15. Trees. They provide oxygen for us to breath. They provide shade on a hot summer day. They provide shelter for lots of nature’s little creatures. They provide wood for homes and furniture and beautiful works of art. They provide limbs to hang swings from (see #10).
16. Chocolate. Dark, white, milk – I love it in all of it’s many varieties. Mmmmmm! Leave the nuts out, please!
17. Hugs. They speak when words cannot.
18. Christmas. A time to celebrate the giving and receiving of God’s greatest gift to us by giving and receiving gifts from those we love most. The greatest gift of Christmas, aside from Jesus, is the gift of the memories and traditions we make with our families and friends. It is a time of year that brings people together. So many of my favorite things are wrapped up in the traditions of Christmas that I cannot help but love it!
19. Sunsets and sunrises. There is just something magical about them, I can never see one and not be moved. They are a reminder to me that each day is a gift.
20. The night sky. I love to watch the moon in all of it’s phases. I love the way the stars sparkle and wink. I love to watch for shooting stars. I love to identify familiar constellations.
21. Campfires. The perfect way to enjoy the night sky, usually in the company of family and/or good friends. Often involves chocolate, in the form of s’mores.
22. Camping. A way to reconnect with nature, a simpler way of life. Reminds me not to take my “things” too seriously.
23. My pets. They add another dimension of caring to my life.
24. Jigsaw puzzles. At my house, a jigsaw puzzle is a people magnet. I can’t resist a jigsaw puzzle. If one is on the table, I have to stop and work on it. I am not alone – whenever I am working on one, others stop to see if they can place a piece or two (or more!). Conversation usually ensues.
25. Clothes, sheets, towels, dried on the clothesline. They smell so fresh and clean!
26. My washing machine. Washing clothes by hand is one chore I’m really grateful I don’t have to do. My washing machine is probably the household appliance I use most often and am most thankful for.
27. Freedom and the U.S.A. Sometimes I complain about our government and taxes and the way our country is run, but I have to be thankful that I can complain without fear of retribution. I can worship where and how I want to, and send my children to school where they get a good education. So many people live in places where life is so harsh, where women are oppressed, where commodities are scarce, disease is rampant, heathcare unavailable and freedom non-existent. Life is fragile and precious. To have been born in and to live in a land of freedom and abundance is something I should never take for granted.
28. Sore muscles. They remind me that I have a body that functions well (most of the time) and allows me to do some good, hard work. Exercise and physical labor always creates in me a sense of accomplishment.
29. A handwritten letter. They are becoming so rare, that when I get one, I cherish it. It means someone has taken time out their own busy life for me.
30. Water. I can swim in it, bathe in it, clean my clothes and my dishes in it. I can drink it and be refreshed by it. I can freeze it and use it to cool myself down or sooth my aches and pains. The sound of water – the babbling brook, the gentle rain, the lapping of waves on a lakeshore or the crashing of ocean waves, are as pleasant to me as a symphony. Water is miraculous and life-giving.
31. My husband’s hands. He makes a living with his hands, and provides well for our family. They are strong, but gentle. He gives me wonderful back and foot rubs with them! When he holds my hand in his, I know how much he loves me.
32. Singing. Akin to music (# 6), but it is how I participate and become active in the gift of music. I find a sense of connection in singing. Singing brings me joy.
33. The local food co-op. I can get the very best bread, granola, and produce, all from local sources. It is clean, friendly, and cozy. So much nicer than the mega-markets.
34. Home-grown tomatoes. Store-bought ones really can’t compare. I love them best in BLT’s, in salads, or just sliced with salt and pepper. (My husband prefers sugar on his.)
35. Watching my children perform. It doesn’t matter what they are doing. It can be a musical concert, a sporting event, a school play, or they can even just be playing guitar hero – I simply love watching them learn and master a skill. Isaac learned to ride a bike this summer, and I get so much pleasure watching him race up and down the cul-de-sac. Little miracles.
36. Birkenstock sandals. The most comfortable footwear I own. (And I own a lot of footwear!)
37. No-sort recycling. The best thing since sliced bread. Truly.
38. My iPod. I love having almost my entire music library available in this tiny little device. I’m still amazed that something so small can hold so much music!
39. Caller ID. I don’t have to talk to those pesky tele-marketers. (No offense to you if you are one, just know I won’t answer if you call me!)
40. Cell phones. It gives me much peace of mind to know I can always reach my children (because they always carry their phones, as opposed to my husband who only carries his sometimes, and then usually forgets to turn it on!—it’s a generational thing.) I am also glad to have my own to call for help if ever I am in need of it. The constant text messaging my kids do at times does drive me crazy though.
41. Snow days. They are few and far between, even here in Minnesota, but they are so fun just because they are so rare. Nothing beats having an unexpected free day, especially when you can play out in the new snow – make snow angels, build snowmen, and dig snow forts.
42. Eating out. Sometimes it’s nice not to have to cook and clean-up.
43. Worship. Food for my soul.
44. Yoga pants – as comfortable as sweatpants, but so much more attractive and flattering! It is not necessary to do yoga to wear them (although yoga can be quite satisfying also).
45. Magnifying mirrors, reading glasses, bifocals. I find that for my 50-year-old eyes, these come in really handy!
46. Early morning walks in the summer. The sun is up, the air is cool(er), the birds are singing, the bugs are….well, let’s not mention the bugs. Where I live I get to see a lot of wildlife, but the bugs are not my favorite.
47. Prayer. Quiet, contemplative, comforting, reassuring. Sometimes I talk to God, sometimes I listen for His response.
48. Church. My community of faith.
49. Service. The ways in which I give back for all that I have been given.
50. God. Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Comforter, Guide, Friend. All I have comes from Him, all I do should be for Him. Without Him, the rest of my list is pretty pointless. I live by His amazing grace.