When Forty Really Becomes New Thirty

I always thought that it comes across as a kind of consolation than congratulation when you are told that forty is your new thirty at your 40th birthday. When I was young, I just could not wait for growing older, bigger and stronger. However to the contrary, most of us try hard to seize youth if we could when we cross 40th mark. After all, I passed my 40th mark more than a year ago.

I could not help but realize more and more wrinkle lines crawling on my face once it was all shining smooth. Well I never freaked out when I passed that mark. But I was not able to grasp what I really felt then. I guess that it was more like the flavor of Chinese five spice. I had looking-forward and fear equally, some more or some less.

We fear something we know and other thing we even do not know. We fear fading of our physical appealing, fear reducing of physical capacity, fear losing of life excitment, ....... even fear getting closer of death. I realize that aging gracefully is beautiful in mind but hard in reality.

It is an old Chinese wisdom that you have made it already when you turn into 30 if you are gonna go somewhere. You should settle in for what you have at the turn of 40. Nowaday, we are living much longer life. But we might still have our old mind set.

One day When I did my routine driving across the same beautiful field, wild flowers, trees and mountain range with simply blue sky, my horizon loomed right in front of me and become extending beyond. I suddenly felt fear less as when I was a kid. I come to realize that fear or less lies in our perception toward the future, present and surrounding.

When we appreciate our life cycle just like the rotation of the Nature, Spring evolving into Summer, Fall turning to Winter,

When we can not wait for another adventure tomorrow before today becomes yesterday,

When we open our mind for posibilities new and exciting,

When we live in present and look forward into future

We are graceful as we age.