On turning 38

Today I turned 38, and honestly, I'm really not bothered by that number. I think so many people are mournful on their birthdays. We travel through life, busy with the day to day, we reach another birthday and we become sad. We look at our lives and we see regret, we see missed chances or failed relationships and we mourn the passage of time. We look in the mirror and we see lines and grey hair or our changing bodies and we mourn our youth. We look at our lives and we feel old. 

I, however, do not feel mournful today. I have a few regrets and missed opportunities. I have a few relationships I wish I had tried harder to keep. I have lots of grey hair, a few wrinkles, and a body wreaked by 4 pregnancies in five years. But instead of sadness, I choose joy. 

I am filled with happiness today because I choose to focus on the blessings of my 38 years and not the disappointments.  I have been blessed with a wonderful husband who loves me more now than he did 21 years ago. I have 4 healthy, delightful children that I have the privilege of spending every day enjoying.  I have a beautiful little yellow house (I've always wanted a yellow house) with a yard made for childhood. I have a handful of sweet friends and a family that gets along. 

I have purpose in my life, and I know the direction I'm going and who is going with me. I know who I am, why I'm here, who I love and where I belong. I know what I want out of this life and I know exactly how to get it. I know what to be thankful for and who to be thankful to...

Today I turned 38 and I am blessed.