The Beauty of Turning Forty
Nostalgia, Gratitude, and Renewal
They say life begins at 40. For me, it’s more than just a saying, it feels like a truth quietly unfolding.
Tomorrow marks that milestone. It isn’t a dramatic shift, but rather a gentle turning point, a farewell to the whispers of youth and a step into something greater. I’m no longer young, but not yet old either. I stand in that middle ground where time is no longer measured in years, but in meaning.
This morning, I caught my reflection in the mirror. It was the same face, now lined with stories: the joys of childhood, the wild freedom of youth, the uncertainties of adolescence, and lately, the weight of married life and fatherhood. Then, through the window, I noticed birds singing as cool breeze brushed my cheeks and filled the air with sweet fragrance. When I turned around, my little baby greeted me with a radiant grin.
As I savored the calm of the early morning hush, the familiar rhythm of life quickly returned, the rush, the routine, the road to work. Along the way, I heard a childhood hymn from a nearby school. It stopped me in my tracks, carrying me back in time. In that instant, I was once again one of those little children, singing in a church with all my heart. Nostalgia overwhelmed me, and I found myself singing along, tears streaming down my cheeks.
What’s happening to me? I find beauty now in the simplest things, as though every detail matters. That old hymn reminded me not only of my age but also of how deeply the past still lives within me. Everything feels important, almost sacred. Maybe this is what people mean when they say life begins at 40.
To me, this isn’t about starting over; it’s about reaching a stage of emotional maturity, giving me enough hindsight to know, that every step behind me carries meaning, and every step ahead deserves care and trust.
This isn't about the loss of youth either, but the dawn of wisdom, that is, seeing life not as something to race through, but as something to cherish and celebrate.
So here I stand, in my fortieth year, not to wander, but to embrace the fullness of life: a heart full of gratitude, a mind alive with wonder, and a future to live in full.
And yes, I believe it now: Life truly begins at 40.
"Forty is the old age of youth; fifty is the youth of old age." - Victor Hugo