7 Perks of Getting Older

By the time you read Monday's post, I will have turned another year older. I've never been one to mind birthdays. I mean, they're a gift, right? Every year gets a little better as far as I'm concerned. So yeah. I'll have 56 years under my belt. Here are some of the things I don't mind about it. In fact, I'm downright giddy about a few of these.

1. I'm comfortable in my own skin. Never mind that it's not as taut as it used to be. It's mine, and I love the person God is molding me into. However flawed I am at this stage of the molding process, it's okay, because I'm still on the pottery wheel under the gentle touch of the master Creator.
2. I've got a year's worth of practice ordering from the senior menu. It took me a while, but I am finally remembering that yes, I am a senior in most restaurants and yes, I can order from that cheaper menu with the more reasonably sized portions. And it's legal.
3. My marriage is sweeter. I've always had a pretty good marriage, but with more time to ourselves now that the kids are mostly grown comes more time to dream, relax, work on projects, and just hang out together. There's a nice, easiness between us now that wasn't always present in the busier, more stressful days of raising kids. 
4. My spiritual walk is deeper. Relying on God is less of a struggle in these middle-aged years than it used to be.  I am very much aware of how inept I am in many areas of my life. I have to depend on Him to bring me through. I've learned first-hand how useless worry is.
5. I get to see my children grown up and thriving. All those years of parenting, correcting, guiding, loving my children? Worth it! Now I get to see the fruit of those hectic days and it's so rewarding. My kids aren't perfect. Neither is their mom. But I can see the wonderful people they are and know that all those endless hours, days, months, and years, added up to the sweetest success I've ever enjoyed. And I'm so proud and thankful.
6. Gray looks good on me. Seriously, I'm too lazy to dye my hair. You can read another blog post I wrote about that here. But I'm finding a comforting satisfaction in seeing myself in the mirror and thinking, "Huh. So this is what you look like at 56." I am no super model. But I am made in the image of God and that's gotta be pretty good.
7. I've learned to be a confident Grammy. Fourteen years ago I wondered what kind of grandma I'd be. My first grandchild came when my youngest child was only five. I wasn't sure I was ready for another little one again so soon. I was wrong. Let me be clear. I.Was. Wrong. I found out God equips new grandmas the same as he does new moms. He pours an overabundance of love into our hearts and never looks back. And wonder of wonders, grandchildren didn't make me feel older, as I'd feared, but younger. So now I lean into that role and love every minute of it. I've become confident in who I am as Grammy, just like I did as a mom.

So getting older isn't always so bad. Commercials may try to sell us things to make us look or feel younger, as if being older isn't something to which we should aspire As for me, I'm perfectly happy with middle-age.  I'm older, wiser, and happier than when I was a youngun'.

How about you? Are you happy at the life stage you're currently in? What are some of the perks of being your age?

Linda