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More apocalypse, less angst
I turned forty last Friday, and to celebrate I went night-snowshoeing with B. and M. at Cypress Mountain (followed by fondue at Hollyburn Lodge). After the festivities of the previous weekend (cabaret and friends staying and dinner party), a quieter and more activity-oriented birthday was the perfect choice. Plus, it was an activity even a 15-year-old could enjoy (and she did).
This was followed up by a mostly-lazy weekend. I say mostly because while there was a lot of lounging around, I did manage to finish a dress and start another (pictures soon), plus I unraveled the sweater I was working on and started it over (too small, I made a pattern mistake), and we had an afternoon of music-making followed by dinner with the music-folks on Sunday. Oh, and there was a plumbing emergency on Monday morning. That’s pretty much the definition of a lazy weekend isn’t it?
Ok. Well it’s my definition of a lazy weekend because we were entirely around the house which is restorative for me even when there is work to be done.
On the morning of my birthday, I woke up a little before the alarm and laid in the stillness of the pre-dawn house thinking about just that. How glad to wake up in that bed, in that house, beside my awesome partner. How pleased to wake up on my first day of forty and think, “yes, exactly here.” Because I think it’s pretty lucky to have a life you enjoy. Not a perfect life (god forbid, I am nothing like perfect – I drink too much, I eat too many carbs, I don’t practice my fiddle nearly as often as I should), but a good life – one which is both self-validating and which serves to affirm and animate others.
And related to that – I’ve recently felt the return of community in my life. Starting school, playing music, and seeing some of our closer friends on a more regular basis have all played a part in that after a long period of trying to re-orient after my social/political rupture in the mid 2000’s, followed by leaving the political side of my union two years ago (which wasn’t much of a community, but did take up a lot of my time).
So I suppose if I am to reflect on being forty, I would like this new decade to build on what the last few years have begun: that is a life which prioritizes home, community, and making – with a lot of love and good dinner parties to round out the rest.
I’m a bit rambly here, I know. But I just mostly wanted to say that this place here, at forty. It’s awesome.
Red Cedar 
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