Turning Forty
July 9, 1995
As I was approaching my 40th birthday, I was having a hard time with this reality. How could I be 40? I just turned 27 and now I'm almost 40 and then what? In an attempt to calm myself, I called Kathy, my older sister and confessed that this milestone was getting to me.
"Did you have any trouble turning 40?", I asked her.
"Are you serious? No. I had cancer when I was 32 and I survived. I celebrated that day. I wasn't sure I was going to ever reach this day. I celebrated", she told me with a tone that lead me to think my question was ridiculous and self-centered and silly and immature.
"OK, oh yea, right," was my only response. I hung up shortly thereafter and thought about calling my brother Jim to see if he had any words of wisdom. As I was dialing him, I hung up and just decided to move on and accept that which I could not change. I turned 40 and have gone one to turn 50 and 60 and I still feel as if I am 27 years old.
