Archive | 2:39 am

Wisdom at 30

25 Jul

Two days ago, in preparation for today, I made a list.

A list of the lessons life has taught me, mainly over the past decade.

Important pointers, no doubt, helping me prepare for what lies ahead.

Rather pleased with myself, I headed out last evening to celebrate my last few hours of twentydom.

And, with less than 2 hours left to midnight, life cackled at me as she is frequently wont to, and, when I least expected it, threw two more zingers my way.

Climbing up a fancy wooden stairway on my way to dinner, I had a footwear malfunction (for those who remember last July, it was the same pair of shoes). Strap off from one end and nothing to secure my foot to the base, I was barefoot and horrified. Thanks to soothing, encouragement and sound common sense from The Boy, I took the pair in my hands and walked into the restaurant in my Mango outfit…..barefoot. Much angst and a little Fevikwik later, I was back in my heels, gingerly stepping out into the world again, a little stronger in the knowledge that I had done one of the things I detest most. (Yes, walking barefoot is a biggie… will explain childhood connection someday.)

At 2 minutes to midnight, The Boy surprised me by producing cake, candles, et. al in the car and…..no knife. While he berated himself, I felt my fingers get a life of their own, dig into the cake and move toward his mouth. Before we knew it, half the cake was gone and we were frantically looking around for tissues.

It may seem like nothing at all to most people, but tonight, I did the two things I was brought up to absolutely NOT do. Conditioning is a powerful tool, but stepping beyond one’s own boundaries can be a liberating feeling. And that’s when it hit home. My final lessons as a twenty-something are likely going to be the most useful as I stumble into this new decade, and they are, quite simply, this:

1) When life strips you of kitten heels, have the grace to walk tall and barefoot.

2)It’s surprisingly fun to get your hands dirty. Close your eyes, dig in and share the yumminess.

Suddenly, I can’t wait to live my 30s.