I was going to entitle this post “the end of an era.” But as this era draws to an end, what I’m most excited about is the new era that lies ahead.

So what is this era that’s coming to an end?

My 30’s.

Poof! They’re vanishing before my eyes.

According to the clock, I have about two hours left to spend in my thirties. (But, oh no, I just thought of something. I was born in the Eastern time zone, so maybe it’s even less. Oh well…it just doesn’t matter.) Because just around the corner is a whole new era.

I’m so excited.

Thinking back over the past four decades of my life, this last one, my thirties, was by far the best. I see that as a great sign: life just keeps on getting better and better and better. I love that.

I’ve been thinking about this milestone a lot this month…perhaps this explains my lack of blogging. I’ve been doing a lot of introspective thinking; trying to get some perspective on this whole rite of passage. Moving from a thirty-something to a, uh, forty year old, well it just took a while to get my brain around. It’s really happening. It really is.

This past decade was fantastic. Most notably, my thirties brought me two amazing kids with the wonderful husband I married late in my twenties. (And seriously, if those kiddos were all I had to show for my thirties, that would be more than enough. They make my world go round.)

But that wasn’t all…my thirties were really good to me.

On a professional front, this fine decade brought me an exit from corporate America (woohoo!) It brought me simplify 101, The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker, The Happy Scrapper, a column with Organize Magazine, but best of all…amazing new friends…some of whom I have met in person and some of whom I have come to know and love in the virtual world of blogs, websites, email and telephones. I never would have dreamed any of this were possible in my twenties. Back then…I didn’t even own a computer!

My thirties also took me on many a fine adventure. I visited places like Napa Valley with Jay, Washington with my Mom and several trips to my home state of Michigan. There were trips to Chicago for CHA; Boston, Reno and San Diego (a personal favorite!) for organizing conventions and even a trip to Las Vegas. (Note to self…fill your forties with more travel.)

My thirties were also when I ran my first 5K (and my second and third for that matter!) In my twenties I think I would have been hard-pressed to run one “K” let alone five. Just more evidence that life continues to get better.

So…I’m sharing all of this mostly for me. To process it all. To embrace it. To rejoice in the fact that life truly is getting better. Sure. I had far fewer wrinkles when I was twenty. But along with the wrinkles of my thirties came wisdom and joy that fills my mind and heart today—wisdom and joy beyond anything I could have imagined in my twenties. And it just keeps getting better.

I love this thing called life. And tomorrow, Monday, May 19th, I celebrate forty amazing years on this planet. And I give thanks for the chance to experience this miracle called life.

Bring on the forties! I can’t wait to see where this next decade, this next phase in my journey, takes me.

By the way, thank you for letting me share. Once I get through this birthday “hoopla” and the introspection that seems to be accompanying it, I promise I will blog about organizing again. I promise. 🙂

Have a great day!

Aby