Birthday Wishes

I'm forty today. Like my son said yesterday, I'm "halfway there".

Life isn't a race, though, and I'll admit I have lots of fears about growing older. It doesn't help that last night I watched two episodes of The Tudors in which just about everyone lost their heads. Death seems both closer and really scary. Life, on the other hand, seems very sweet and precious.

Me, at 3 or 4:



I had hoped I would approach forty a little more gracefully than I'm managing today. On the one hand I feel both svelte and fit, and that rocks when you're my age and have had four children. On the other hand, I feel like I'm so far behind everyone else. Where's my stellar career? How come I'm not a household name? Am I ever going to get over my shyness and do something useful?

Everyone in The Tudors last night got to confess their sins before their heads were cut off. It seems like a good idea. Maybe it's time for me to confess all my past failures and transgressions and clear the plate so I can prepare myself for the "next half". It's always good to take stock before you move forward, right?

While I'm busy doing that, I'll leave you with a few pearls of wisdom I've garnered in my forty years:

1. Love is always the answer.

2. Nothing can make you happy, you can only be happy.

3. No one cares what you look like. They only care what they look like.

4. If you want to help someone, shut up and listen.

5. The people who matter are already impressed with you.

Have a terrific day, everyone!