Last weekend at the cabin Carol, Mom, Jan and I all discussed getting older. The consensus among everyone but me was that turning thirty was the hardest milestone that they had reached so far. Since I haven't yet gotten to forty I couldn't weigh in on their theory, but I can see why they think thirty is tough. There is a definite divide between your twenties and your thirties. I think that especially for a woman that aging can be a really hard thing. I could go on and on about how our culture doesn't value the wisdom that comes with life experience as much as we value appearances and youth, but I think the real issue is that milestones as we age force us to evaluate what we have accomplished in our lives thus far and also, of course, what we have failed to accomplish. Obsessing over what we view as failures is destructive and unhelpful, but a very human thing to do. A wise man once said "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."
Kathy from the top of the Eifel Tower, Spring 2004
So, for my sister, who turned 30 yesterday I have a few things to say. In the thirteen months and thirteen days between our thirtieth birthdays I have learned to not be so hard on myself, to not be in such a hurry to get everything done, and to enjoy the ride. Kathy, we are so proud of you and what you have accomplished. You are an intelligent, beautiful, brave person. You spend each day with children that will remember you for the rest of their lives as their very first teacher. You are a loving wife, a compassionate daughter and the best sister anyone could dare to ask for. In our twenties we took a trip to Paris in the spring together. In our thirties I'm thinking somewhere a little warmer... love you, Kat. -M
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