On June 20th I’ll 40 years old .

I’ve never been afraid of my birthday, in fact it’s just the opposite. I embrace my birthday. It’s always been a day that I look forward to. 

I almost always have the day off of work. Especially due to the fact that my birthday falls within the first week that Zoe has off of school, and for three years now we’ve (my husband and I) taken that week off so that we can decompress after the hectic school year and ease into the rhythm of summer. We usually go to Door County during that week, but not this year, instead we are staying home.

One of my best birthday’s ever was in Door County. My husband and Zoe went kayaking that afternoon while I had four hours all to myself. I lounged around Fish Creek, had lunch at my favorite coffee shop The Blue Horse, and had a massage.

Another memorable birthday was my golden birthday, when I turned 20 on the 20th. My parents gave me a jewelry box. It was what I had wanted, but it wasn’t exactly the one that I wanted. It was tall and had hooks to hang necklaces on, and I wanted one with drawers. On my birthday, I took it back to the store and exchanged it for the jewelry box that sits on my dresser to this very day. It’s made of teak wood and the drawers are lined with red velvet, and the bottom drawer is a music box which plays Edelwiess from The Sound of Music.

The price on my new jewelry box was $125, which was more than what the box was that I had returned, so I had to write a check for the balance. I was at the cash register, writing my check when I asked the clerk what the date was.

On my birthday.

She said, “June 20th.”

And then I admit that it was my birthday and that I was there for my birthday present, and I couldn’t believe that I had to ask her what the date was. 

Let me assure you that I’ve never had to ask what the date was on my birthday ever again. 

Anyhow, 20 years later and feel like I’m supposed to feel the need to do something drastic, or spaz out that I’m getting older. Yet I don’t feel that way at all.

At least not yet.