Hellooooo, Handsome!

I love birthdays. Always have. At 43 I’ve never once considered swearing them off in an attempt to stave the flow of my advancing age. Maybe I’ll feel differently at 53 or 63, but I doubt it. I’m better at 43 than I ever dreamed of being at 33 or 23. I'm smarter, funnier, more compassionate, and while I may not be better looking, I’ve made my peace with that. I’m more comfortable in my own skin, and more able to find humor in my flaws – cosmetic and otherwise.


And I love the sense of renewal birthdays offer me. I feel that sense of a new year, starting fresh, anything is possible, far more on my birthday than I ever do on January 1st.

My 43rd year of life was less than stellar. I went bankrupt, lost a business that meant the world to me, often failed to make ends meet – sometimes in full view of my concerned children, battled depression and because of that struggled at times to maintain connections with even my closest friends and family.  Not to mention romantic misadventures so bad I can't even find a way to make them funny (and let’s face it, finding humor in my romantic misadventures is my strong suit).

Consequently, saying goodbye to my 43rd year was not at all difficult – all sweet, no bitter. I was more than ready to let this year go, and Friday was a perfect day. Amazing weather, champagne pedicure with a dear friend I don’t see nearly enough, hugs from the kids, a dive bar with many of my favorite people and lots and lots of laughter. Also, more birthday wishes than I could count – some making me cry, some making me laugh, and all of them touching me more than anyone probably realizes. It was birthday perfection, Lori style.

Maybe it was perfect simply because I was so ready to see this year end. Or maybe the day’s perfection was a harbinger of things to come. Either way, at the end of my birthday weekend, I’m ready to say my final farewell to my 43rd year and welcome the year ahead. A year filled with promise, hope and the knowledge of lessons learned.

So, to my 44th year I say, “Helloooooo, handsome! You’re so much better looking than last year.”