Turning thirty soon?
Or have recently? Feeling the dread of leaving your 20s goodbye? Do I sound like a late night television ad? Well... I recently turned the big 3-0 and noticed just yesterday a gray "baby" hair has already sprung up. I will admit, I had a little bit of a moment.
Then I realized everyone waves goodbye to their 20s the way the patrons on the dock waved goodbye to the titanic (if only they knew). The thing is, when you really think about it, you've done this whole "best time of my life" thing before. After high school graduation, I'm sure there were some mixed feelings. Leaving your best friends, going to separate colleges, how could it possibly get any better then the last four years of underage drinking at your friend "Molly's" house. Was that the best time of your life?
Little Samantha circa 1995 with no idea what life holds for her
Then you go off to college or into a job, meet new friends, get on that grind and forget all about it. You mature. You grow. You look back at your time in high school and think "I was young and dumb". And when your done reminiscing, you go down the street to the sorority party and down a fifth of vodka with your sisters. Then you'll ask yourself once again, How could it get any better then this? Was that the best time of your life?
Fast forward 4-6 years and you're done with college or your working full time. Nine to five. Nightshift. Time is money. Money is tight. Full blown adulting at its finest. You find your tribe. You find your lover or a few. Maybe you even have some kids. Then suddenly you're 29. No longer can you sing that Taylor swift song at the top of your lungs without people eyeing those fine lines on your forehead. Does 29 somehow feel younger then 30? Were those years beginning with 2 really a right of passage? If it was, doesn't that mean your life officially begins at 30?
20 something Samantha Graduating from the police academy
I for one can without a doubt say that my 20s brought me exactly what I needed and what I can't live without. That being my husband and my two children. But now that I'm 30 and I have what I need, it's time for a new journey. It's time for love, it's time for travel, it's time to teach, it's time to be passionate and it's time to be stable. What my 30's will bring me is still quite a mystery but from what I can guess (since history seems to repeat itself) is that when I'm panicked by the thought of turning 40, I'll look back and think "how could it possibly get any better then 30?".
Hopefully with a little luck and great night cream, I'll also be saying "damn, I aged like fine wine". So maybe leaving your 20s doesn't need to be so scary. So when you see those little grey hairs rolling in just remember, you are still young, you just gained experience and leveled up. Age is just a number. You are as young as you feel and I feel pretty dang spry for the "old" age of 30. So no more worries needed for the dirty thirty because I feel I can finally say, this is the best time of my life.
30 something Samantha living her best life with the loves of her life