So, I’m leaving my 20’s in a couple days.
Yep, I’m 29 going on 30.
I’ve had a lot of feelings about this, good and bad.
I remember thinking 30 was old.. but now that I’m here I feel like 30 is still pretty young.. right?
Here’s the thing though.
I love being around women who are like 50+.
Seriously, they are my jam.
It’s not that I don’t love being around women of all ages, because I really really do!
But there is something about this age group that is SO freeing.
There is something about being with these women that is so comforting.
Why?
Because in my experience, they care way less about what doesn’t matter and way more about what does.
(Yes, I know there are exceptions).
When I’m with these women I notice how they aren’t sitting around talking about how they look, how other women look, who measures up, whose going downhill quickest, or things like that.
They talk about their children and spouses.
They talk about their experiences and passions.
I hear them share what brings them joy and what breaks their heart.
They aren’t scared to be real.
Their honestly about their hardships makes it so much easier for me to feel like I can talk freely about my own hardships, knowing I won’t be judged.
They have wisdom that you typically can’t find in people who haven’t lived as long. Sometimes that wisdom sounds like, “don’t hang on to that hunny.. in a few years from now you won’t even care about it.”
They find joy in the little things in life because they’ve recognized that fancy things don’t necessarily mean more happiness.
They’ve lived these lives that have been filled with wounds, and they have scars to tell the stories.
I have been inspired by how their longer life has created such a strong faith in the Lord, because they can look back on the years of their life and see His faithfulness.
As a “younger” (kind of) person in this culture, we don’t get the message to just be, just breathe, and just take in the simple joys of life.
We are told to conquer, accomplish, beat the competition, make sure we are adequate.
We are to look a certain way, gain approval, and put an image of ourself that makes us look put together.
But when I’m with these women, I’m reminded that these things aren’t true.
They just aren’t.
So as I go into the next decade, I hope to bring in a bit of the mindset of the women who have come before me into my 30’s.
I know I could learn to be more like them as I grow older and wiser, but why wait?
I’m going to channel my inner older, wiser self right here in my 30’s, by learning from the best.
Because life is too dang short to care about trivial things.
And quite honestly, I’m tired of caring about things that do not one bit in the perspective of eternity.
So here‘s to turning 30 in my body, but more like 60 in my perspective.
I am so thankful for the women I have met who have taught me what’s really important in this life.
I hope to spread a similar message to other women behind me.
~Kelli Bachara, The Unraveling Blog