On Monday I turned 30. It was a day that I had been dreading for the last year and yet it came and went so quickly with no major events. No sudden wrinkles, no new aches and pains and no teeth dropping out. Relief.
In fact the day itself was very pleasant. I had the pleasure of my Mum and Dad’s company for the first time in 9 years, I enjoyed a 2 hour relaxing massage and a lovely Thai meal in the evening, not to mention lots of presents and cards!
And yet, I still cannot believe that I am 30. For me 30 has always been grown up and well on its way to being old. I thought I would be in a different place at age 30 but I’m not and I realize now that there are a lot of things I didn’t achieve whilst I was in my twenties.
Of course I know that 30 is not old, nor is 40. In fact I believe that you’re only as old as you feel but it does feel like a race is on – the race of life and that I’d better get a move on. Why do I feel like this? Is it society’s pressure to be eternally young?
How about you? What age made you feel as if the race was on, or is this something you’ve not experienced?
Happy birthday Piglet! Only 30… you’re a baby!
30 was the greatest year of my life. Cheers to your next year
Thanks Sara Louise, I hope that I will be able to say the same thing in time ref greatest year!
Out of interest (and if not indiscreet) how old are you??
I’m beginning to think that you’re about as old as your knees feel.
LOL! What a good way of putting it! If it’s knees then I’m young (very young indeed), if it’s hips then I’m very very very old!!!
Bonne Anniversaire, Piglet! Love the comment above me from “misplacedperson.” Never thought about that, but my knees *are* starting to feel old!
30 is the new 20. Or 40 is the new 30. Or…you know, whatever. A few years in, I think the 30s are pretty awesome and hope they will be for you, too!
I’ve taken such a non-linear path in life so far, that I’ve long ago had to stop thinking about “where I thought I would be by this point.” Enjoy the ride – or, more importantly, CREATE the ride you want!
Thanks Sion for an inspiring comment, I will certainly keep in mind that I need to CREATE the ride!
Happy Birthday! Like an excellent wine, we only get better with age.
I love the thought that I am like wine
Thank you!
You listen to Auntie Sara Louise
You’ve got years and years to go until you’re her age (sorry SL – forgot to take my anti-naughty pill today. By the way, you feeling any better?)
I’ve got to say that 30-40 were good and successful years for me.
After that, premature senility set in and THINGS GOT EVEN BETTER!
All the best
Keith
P.S. I felt like you on my 30th birthday – I suddenly realised that I wasn’t going to be the youngest person ever to win the Booker Prize etc.
10 years later I finally realised that all that stuff didn’t really matter.
Hope you’ve taken your anti-naughty pill today!
I like to think that as I get older and more senile that things will get better. Mother has already informed me that insanity runs in the family (she told me at a very young age so I would never forget I think).
The realisation that I’m not going to revolutionise French polictics by 30 has come as a shock… I am still to vote in my local elections
or get French nationality… oh well, I will write a list of to do’s before I’m 40!
Happy Birthday! 30 is a funny age. You panic because you’re not 20 any more, so officially not young but hoping you can still get away with it, and panic because the next stop is 40 when you should have got to wherever you’re going and if you don’t you’ll be considered a loser.
What’s that French website… RaterSaVie.com
http://www.ratersavie.com/index.php?top
where you should do all sorts of things if you don’t want to consider you’ve effed up your life.
Remember, these are the good old days you’ll look back upon – tranquil (no kids), à deux (no kids), wiser yet not decrepit. Enjoy
But where am I going? I have absolutely no idea! A few years ago I thought I had achieved what I wanted from life but then everything went downhill – rapidly!
I love, love, love the link! Looking at it I have not messed up my life so am re-assured! What fun coffee table reading!
eh kids…
I wasn’t going anywhere til I hit my 40s! You’ll find out in the end. In the meantime, don’t panic!
That is, not me mum!! d’oh I keep doing that!!
Shen young, I couldn’t wait to be thirty…it seemed an ideal age.
I would not be treated like a kid any more, I would be working and have some money, I would have some idea of how things worked…
So, apart from working, I’ve stayed thirty ever since…it’s a great age to be!
Hubby has the same outlook as you, he’s been 30 for a couple of years now!
I’m with Fly on this one. I’ve never bothered to think about my age from 30 onwards. Well actually I’m still around 25 in my head.
Happy Birthday Piglet xx
Thanks Ayak
I still feel 18 in my head!
Happy Birthday! I have been away for a while and haven’t hecked the blog, so it is only now that I learned about your birthday. I wish you happines, love, money, everything you might dream !
Thanks Rosabell! I hope you have been well? You haven’t missed much recently I promise! Just my usual rants!
Happy Birthday Piglet! Aside from that damned knee thing, I’ve got to tell you…honestly….that I’ve enjoyed every single decade. I cannot say that I’d change my age (51) for any other. And as for the moment when I thought the race was on…I think I was born with it. I have felt it all my life. But not in a bad way. Just a don’t miss a moment way. Just remember, moments are small as well as grand. They ALL count. All my best to you on this grand occasion. Today you are the queen!
Thanks Delana! So this knee thing definitely seems to be a marker!
I like your comment about all moments, small and grand count. I’ve thought about this and some of my best memories and special moments have been very very small indeed!
I hope that I will be able to look back when I’m 50 and say that I’ve enjoyed every decade
Thanks for the positive outlook!
Happy birthday! I’m glad you got to spend it with your loved ones. The massage and dinner sound great!!
Personally, I haven’t yet felt like “the race is on”, maybe because I feel like i’ve always gone fast. I hope that by the time i’m 30 I will have taught myself how to slow down!
Thanks Amber! The dinner was absolutely yummy, I simply adore Thai food and a massage was just what the Doctor ordered!
I had never, ever felt like the race was on until I turned 29. I had never even thought about not wanting to turn 30 until I became 29. I mocked my husband on his 30th birthday because he was in a bad mood about the whole age thing. Boy how I wished I hadn’t.
I think I overachieved in my twenties and now things are going downhill so I have a lot to live up to
Good luck in slowing down, I’m sure having a family will ground you.
Ps. I’ve just had a look at your most recent blog post and you look great! Glowing!
Happy Birthday!
Merci!
Belated Happy Birthday, and many many more to come. Every year you have a birthday is a good year. Consider the alternative.
yes, very true! Many thanks!
And more belated Birthday wishes from me! I seriously cannot remember my 30th birthday – it was SOOOO long ago! And yes, I do very keenly feel that ‘the race is on’ and that there is so much I need and want to do before the old body starts packing up on me. It already takes me a LOT longer to recover from my physical exertions and the muscles just aren’t as supply and giving as they used to be. So make the most of being in your 30s and make the most of every minute as if it were your last!
oh Penny you’re much much fitter than me! I couldn’t even achieve what you do on your bike!
Happy Belated Birthday! 30 was a while ago for me but have trained my daughter to say mummy is 28! Not sure how long I’ll get away with it.
Sounds like you had a fun day.
LOL! Many thanks!
This is what happens when you’re without internet for a few days… Happy belated birthday Piglet.
Having turned 30 a few years back I second a lot of what is written above but specifically the fact that you’re no longer in your 20s. Ah, it matters not. And, it’s not about knowing where you’re going, it’s about having a good time and being a good person along the way.
Best wishes for the year ahead!
Thanks Tanya, such wise words!
Hi Piglet!!
I think I gotcha on the actual day via other social networks, but I am not going to let that stop me from wishing you a very Happy 30th here, several days after the fact.
Why not?!? It’s 30. You deserve to extend the birthday a bit.
I remember 30. Twelve years ago now. I have to say that turning 30 felt really earth-shaking, kind of like, “Oh hell, I really AM a *grown up* now!” It freaked me out a bit, and I had trouble taking it all in. I seriously felt older at 30 than I did turning 40 a couple of years ago. So yes, while *now* I realize just how *young* 30 still is, it felt really old to me at the time. I remember that really clearly. It is very much the feeling that youth is over and adulthood is now the norm. It’s true, though, that you will probably look back ten years from now and think, “What the heck was I thinking about 30 being old? OMG, to go back to 30 and realize how much youth I still had!!”
Or maybe that’s just me, lol.
I also thought my body was aging back then. *snort* All I can say is that it certainly does not get much better as time passes, lol!! Seriously, though, a lot of things are better for me now that I am in my 40s and I have heard from my sisters (used in that female/sisterhood sense) in their 50s that it is even *better* in that decade. It’s like holding a constant tension of appreciating who we are in the present, without regretting too much of the past and also not pushing too far into the future. Acceptance of the NOW is something I have always had a lot of trouble with, and big birthdays like 3-0 is definitely one of those times.
I think you will find the 30s full of adult adventures, though (hahahaha — not the skeevy kind, although by all means there’s nothing wrong with that!). I just meant things like (if you want) starting a family, digging deeper into creating and achieving dreams, becoming more of the person you are destined to become. A lot of foundations are built in the 30s.
Anyway, enough blathering from me. Thanks for making me think and reflect, though. Like Tanya wrote, best wishes for the year ahead and the next decade ahead, too!! And yay! You made it this far!!
Keep on truckin’.
I meant to say here: “Acceptance of the NOW is something I have always had a lot of trouble with, and big birthdays like 3-0 is definitely one of those times…”
… when acceptance is a little more challenging.
Hi Karin! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your insight and opinion on this. I think I should save your comment and read it again in 10 years time as I can totally see myself agreeing with everything you say even if I am currently thinking “Oh hell, I really AM a *grown up* now!” as you so well put above!
I don’t think Hubby would be too pleased if I suggested some adult adventures… LOL! Although I know exactly what you mean – not so long ago (probably about 6 months ago) Hubby and I discussed taking a gap year and travelling if and when we could afford it. It is still something we would like to do but I don’t think we could ever afford to do it for a whole year, probably a month or two max! We will see!
There’s some good news I’m desperate to share but I’m busy choosing my words and time carefully – watch this space
There’s a little pressie for you here: http://nodamnblog.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/5021/
how exciting! Thank you so much! I will be more than pleased to do the honours
Thank you so much for thinking of me.