The Physical Life - Forever Young

As a kid, I thought I would be at my best in my 30's. I couldn't wait until I got to be "that" age. Now, here I am in my 30's, 35 to be exact and it feels weird. Not that I am unhappy or discontent about it, honestly, I think I rock at being 35 and am doing it with style. The part that is weird is that I feel the same as I did at 20. Who I am hasn't changed. Sure I've matured and look at life with a more experienced perspective, but it truly feels like the last 20 years were mere months ago.

I've been working with teenagers since I practically was one and at first I was the hip, cool leader close to their age and now I'm the quirky lady who is the same age as their parents. Where has time gone? I know it only speeds up from here and must be an even further gap as the years pass, because the woman at 80 no doubt feels the same way. Sure our body changes and our pace might slow down, but the spirit of us doesn't change. I connect with people of all ages. Its usually people who hold onto life with a child-like spirit, not to be confused with immature, that I most feel at home around.

I live my life ageless, its not until I get a public reaction that is age appropriate that I realize, oh yeah, I'm 35! Someone recently commented about my 40th birthday being in 5 years and I just thought, is that even possible? Maybe its because I've been working with teenagers for the last 15 years that keeps me focused on life in the younger years, or maybe its because I have a 3 year old and am an older mom. I know one day I will be 80, unless we get raptured beforehand, and that will probably happen before I know it, but I will be forever Carrie, forever young and forever the girl who loves life, travel and hanging out with a lot of people. I will love jumping up and down at concerts, Karoake and road trips.

I'm excited for the journey ahead even though it will continue to get weird as the woman in the mirror begins to look more foreign to the girl inside. But who I am will not change, so when you look at me, or anyone else, don't see the age, see the person. That older woman down the street was your age at one time, and even though you may not see it, that is still who she is.