Over the Hill?

I just turned 47. As customary, we celebrate milestones in our lives. Not to be bypassed is the 1st birthday when we’re actually either asleep all throughout the party or “Waaahhh!”, screaming at the top of our lungs over our fear of clowns, magicians or mascots who are actually supposed to amuse us. The other years that clearly mark the stages in our lives may or may not be celebrated. For us women these are:

the 7th , the age of reason…
“Look mom, I can fly!” she says as her mother frantically runs to her in anticipation to catch her fall as she swings so high she can actually take a 360 degree turn round the pole! “Whew!”

the 13th, the start of our tumultuous years…
“Mom, can I go my friend’s party?”, she bravely asks her mother one day.
“What’s the occasion?... Who will be there?... Will there be boys?”
One has to answer a barrage of questions careful not to agitate her mother and merit her most wanted permission.

the 18th, the debutante’s coming out party…
“Mom, do I really have to do this?” Unlike before, girls have taken a liking to choosing a special gift instead or perhaps celebrating for a cause.

the 40th , is it over the hill or the new 30s?...
“Gosh! I’m getting wrinkles on my face!” We have no right to be a woman if we’re not vain, right? But with the varied supply of miracle creams now available to slather on our faces, we can actually look like we are just in our 30s. And with a body to boot, hey don’t we look great!

the 50th , the year of the golden girls…
“What is it like to be married, Grandma?”
“Staying and loving in a marriage is actually a decision we make, dear.” Once we reach this age we get to share our wisdom with whoever cares to learn from us, most especially our grandchildren.

Days before my birthday, I was contemplating on whether or not to celebrate. It was just a few days before my scheduled Carribean cruise and I was afraid that it might be too stressful for me to plan a party. Nevertheless I decided to host a special dinner for friends and family. Little did I realize that I invited a chosen few girl friends and family until the responses came in through my phone saying “Thank you for making me feel special, I will definitely be there.” Then I remembered a message sent to me before saying “Your girl friends will always be there, without them you will never ever be the same.” How true this was for me.

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be one of my most memorable birthdays as I truly enjoyed preparing every special dish, designing and supervising table settings, selecting the drink of the night introduced by my twin celebrant, getting everyone to chug a shot of Mandarin vodka, then biting into an orange slice drizzled with brown sugar and cinnamon… yum! And after having a few drinks, my dear friend managed to get everyone on their feet dancing the night away. “The last time I had this much fun was back in high school!” another friend exclaimed. What a party that was!

As I told my twin's husband the following day that we should celebrate again next year with her girl friends too, he reminded me that life’s too short, why wait another year? Every single day is reason to celebrate.

Well, I turned 47. It is clearly not a milestone but it was certainly a celebration of life, of friendships made and sealed, amid laughter and tears, throughout the years. I am certainly not over the hill. On the other hand, I am just beginning a new journey.