Moving Forward

Well, I celebrated my 42nd birthday this week and realized that I'm 2 years strong into this 4th decade of life. Wow! That's really all I have to say. Time is moving on and is not slowing down for anyone. I just reread my very 1st post on this blog and laughed at where I was then and where I am right now. I must begin by saying that I got over the empty nester syndrome really quickly, maybe even before my son left for college. I was sad of course like all mothers would be, but I didn't sit and cry and wish he was here with me. What I did do was get busy living my life for someone who I hadn't lived it for in a long time: ME!

I amped up my workout time in the gym and am really starting to see the benefits of that. I really do enjoy people saying: get out, you are not 42! NO, you don't have a son in college. If not for the health benefits alone, hearing that stated frequently is enough to keep me working out. I'm looking and feeling (most days) fit and fabulous and can say I am truly enjoying my life and where it's headed. It seems like I'm finally settling into ME again, and I really like who I am at this stage in my life. I laugh at myself now because the filter that I had on so much for so long is nonexistent. I act like Sophia on the Golden Girls. If you don't want to hear it or know it, then I'm probably not the woman to talk to. I just feel free. Free to do, be, say, believe, and think exactly what I want to, in the way that I want to and I don't apologize for it.

And the crazy thing is, I see it only getting better with time. I've done a little dating the past year, which has been interesting, enjoyable, and so different from when I was younger. I do sometimes see why we should date and mate young because at this age, I don't have the time, energy, or desire to be anyone other than me for anyone. So, it's like take it or leave it;  it is what it is and what you see is what you get. That's freeing too because if they can't hang, I figure it's their loss. It's really nice to walk in the woman that I am and expect others to either take the walk with me or get off of my trail.

I guess the best lesson that I've learned so far is that everything in moderation is good for you: sex, red wine, sugar, pasta, mashed potatoes, french fries, sun, work, church, etc. There are no more extremes in my life. I figured out how to enjoy every aspect because I now know myself well enough to know when enough is enough. I truly get myself and because I now get who I am, others get me also. With maturity, you figure out that it's always better to keep moving forward and looking forward because those things that are behind you are in the past for a reason. In the words of Sounds of Blackness, "Keep on Moving! Don't Stop!"

Be blessed and keep it movin' sistahs! Keep it movin'!