10 Years Ago Today
I knew this day would come and I wondered where I’d be in life. Its been 10 years now.
In December of ‘85 at barely 21 years of age, I got married. At that point, I didn’t know myself, much less anyone else. And yet, getting married was what you were supposed to do and so that’s what I did.
Unfortunately, I had little life experience as an adult and wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to be and really who I wanted to be with. In the years since, I’ve heard this same story told with dozens of other voices. So apparently, its happened to most of us.
So after almost 9 years of marriage, I chose to leave on the eve of my 30th birthday. I left unopened presents on the table as I walked out. It sounds brutal and heartless, but it had gone on long enough and I used the introspective strength born of a milestone birthday to make it happen.
Since then, I’ve lived my 30s somewhat like they were my 20s. The sedentary lifestyle of staying home on weekend nights has been replaced with adventurous fun-filled outings with friends and dates. I’ve met wonderful friends who have showed me how to live and have inspired me to be what I want to be — not what someone else wants me to be. I’ve traveled. I’ve loved. I’ve been dumped and in recent years e-dumped. I’ve been promoted and I’ve been laid-off — three times!
I could go on, but what I wonder most about is how will the decade of my 40s go? Since I lived my 20s and 30s out of order, will I do the same thing yet again with my 40s? Or will I finally get it right and live appropriately for my age? Geez…if I think about that, that almost sounds boring.
So maybe the trick is to not think about your age or your decade and just live it one day at a time. But sometimes it helps to reflect on how you arrived at each day. And so today, I’m celebrating a really great decision that I made 10 years ago today.
In case you’re curious, the ex-wife married someone years ago that she met off of Matchmaker.com. She apparently is living happily-ever-after in Kentucky or Tennessee or someplace of that ilk. So though the circumstances weren’t initially favorable for her 10 years ago, it turned out to be the best decision for her as well.
So here’s to being 40, happy, and healthy…with emphasis on the happy and healthy part.