On my left cheekbone, just below the corner of my eye is an tattoo which I hadn't noticed till it was there this week.
It's in the shape of a heart.
In actuality, it's an age spot.
A tattoo of sunshine and years.
A tattoo of oceans and pools and lounging in the sunshine while sitting with friends.
A tattoo of AYSO soccer games and orange wedges on Saturday mornings.
A tattoo that I've earned by living 39 years.
Of all the random shapes this tattoo chose to be, I don't think a more perfect shape could have appeared. A heart.
As I observe college and high school friends embrace their 40th year on Facebook, I've been noticing the love that surrounds them. I notice they are celebrated by people they love. I noticed they're posting more photos from those celebrations than any other year. I notice they're embracing our age and the tattoos that go along with it. Strong self love.
I'm going to make a declaration so when I, in rare moments, freak out about turning 40 in a few weeks, I'm reminded of the grace and honesty that comes with aging. I'm embracing my age and the tattoos and wrinkles and all that go along with it because as cliche as it sounds, age is just a number.
Thank you to my strong women who are doing the same this year or who I've celebrated previously. It's your love of yourselves and embracing our age that remind me even our funky shaped age spots are something really wonderful.
Note to readers: Rereading this while taking a break from grad school just shows how completely obvious it is that I'm on vacation from school for a week. Time to appreciate the small stuff AND actually write about it.
It's in the shape of a heart.
In actuality, it's an age spot.
A tattoo of sunshine and years.
A tattoo of oceans and pools and lounging in the sunshine while sitting with friends.
A tattoo of AYSO soccer games and orange wedges on Saturday mornings.
A tattoo that I've earned by living 39 years.
Of all the random shapes this tattoo chose to be, I don't think a more perfect shape could have appeared. A heart.
As I observe college and high school friends embrace their 40th year on Facebook, I've been noticing the love that surrounds them. I notice they are celebrated by people they love. I noticed they're posting more photos from those celebrations than any other year. I notice they're embracing our age and the tattoos that go along with it. Strong self love.
I'm going to make a declaration so when I, in rare moments, freak out about turning 40 in a few weeks, I'm reminded of the grace and honesty that comes with aging. I'm embracing my age and the tattoos and wrinkles and all that go along with it because as cliche as it sounds, age is just a number.
Thank you to my strong women who are doing the same this year or who I've celebrated previously. It's your love of yourselves and embracing our age that remind me even our funky shaped age spots are something really wonderful.
Note to readers: Rereading this while taking a break from grad school just shows how completely obvious it is that I'm on vacation from school for a week. Time to appreciate the small stuff AND actually write about it.
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