'40 PLUS' by Alex O'Halloran
I happily turned 42 the other day, actually last month......and I'm all good with that. I've even taken on a new way of saying my age. Instead of 42 years old.....I'm simply 42 years young! Sounds a bit naff, but I'm sticking with it.
On hitting my 40's I now see my crazy party days as a mere blurry memory of the past and something I like to think I've tamed myself for the better. Yes.....I've got healthier in my 40's - but hopefully not boring!
I even decided to throw myself into my husband's intensive 5 week exercise program.....just to feel great, and if I'm honest.......to prevent my ass from heading further South.
I gave up smoking 5 years ago to avoid ending up with a mouth that resembled a pussy's butt and as for my love of champers......that's stopped too. Not because I don't still LOVE it but simply because it HATES me.
The other day I couldn't help noticing my friend's glowing complexion. Not being able to resist, I said, "What have you done to your skin.....it looks amazing"? She replied, " I had a blueberry smoothie facial". With that I booked myself a "blueberry smoothie facial" using my birthday voucher in the hope of looking the same.
Greeted by a very young professional 23 yr old with skin like a Japanese geisha girl, she politely asked me to put my face into what looked like a microwave with neon lights. Suddenly my face appeared on a giant computer screen and I stared horrified at what I saw. Staring back at me was my face, way, way too close for my liking and looking like a hairy mammoth with funny dots all over the place, sun spots and god knows what else? She then proceeded to inform me about all my blemishes. My upbeat birthday mood disappeared!.
Strung out and paranoid at the skin cancer damage I may have caused in my teens by slapping on reef oil, I closed my eyes and tried to relax as I had my 'birthday' facial. Leaving the salon, I hoped to look like my friend - all new, buffed, dewy and glowing. My car rear vision mirror screamed something else. Red spotty faced, lathered up with rescue repair cream and adorned with scratch marks from the machine used to peel away the dead skin......I looked more like a Tassie tiger.
So is it worth it I ask?? All that money on creams and stuff, all that fluffing around with what God gave us? I'd be lying if I didn't admit to wigging out occasionally on those ugly days......but hey who doesn't? Yes ageing can suck.....all true, but it doesn't skip anyone. To a certain extent we can control what happens to us in our 40's. Sure, we're not 20 something anymore and no-one too soon is going to ask us to do a Playboy spread. Yes - we may have a few more lines around the eyes, pigmentation in weird places and god knows what else decides to take up residency......but maybe it's not until we reach our 40's that we grow into ourselves. Turning 40+ means you can turn into anything you want to be.
Remember, recite after me...............Instead of worrying, skid into your 40's sideways and enjoy the ride!
