In the hopes that we avoid a town-wide singalong to David Bowie's classic Changes, I wanted to spend some time talking about the various changes that an aging person can go through.
I recently turned 35 and have reached this milestone quietly. For the first time in my life, I did not insist that everyone in my family have a week-long celebration honouring the birth of the beloved Megan. To be honest, there are still balloons hanging from our chandelier and a few balloons kicking around the house, tied to door knobs and balcony rails so my birthday did not pass by completely unnoticed. I didn't feel like going out for dinner, I just wanted to be at home with my family and eat perogies for dinner and eat a grotesque amount of cake. Done and done.
As for my birthday presents, I cheerfully received an assortment of odd items from the dollar store that my kids picked out "for mommy." The items may have actually been presents for themselves, but I do appreciate the container of plastic diamonds, a jar of seashells, two stuffies and a large floor puzzle of the provinces and territories of Canada. I mean, who doesn't like puzzles and people do need a cuddle every once in a while?
If it happens that the stuffies have migrated to my children's beds at night, I don't begrudge them my presents. If I happen to find little plastic diamonds in my daughter's pockets, it makes me smile. I am happy to help put together a puzzle with my kids and teach them how to find our town within British Columbia and to teach them the names of the rest of the Canadian provinces and territories.
Aging is an odd thing.I have a lot more sparkles in my hair these days and I no longer get ID'd. Besides the fact that I have a harder time running on no sleep (thanks to children who still don't sleep through the night, this happens more often than not), I do not feel any older. I feel like my number is older but not me. Anyone reading this article who is older than me is likely saying, "Oh, thirty-five? You're still a baby!" Anyone reading this article who is younger than me is likely saying, "Thirty-five? Your life is practically over!"
I guess you are only as old as you feel (sometimes, I feel as old as Prince Philip). In the immortal words of David Bowie: " Pretty soon now you're gonna get older/ Time may change me / But I can't trace time."
As long as I'm still here, I'm going to have fun. Maybe next year, I will reinstitute the week-long celebration.
