So my 40th birthday came and went, and I survived. I actually had a party with some friends and had a great time. Now that I'm over it, I can't remember why I was whining about turning 40. When I think of it in comparative terms, I'm a whole lot better at 40 than I was at 30. I have never looked better. I have never felt better. I have never run farther and all things considered, I am in the most stable place I've ever had in my life.

Taking a step back to think of the many ways that my life has changed for the better allowed me to put it in perspective. OK, so it wasn't the step back, it was my editor Katie who made me think about the good. She had questions from my last post where I was whining about 40 and what surprised me most was that all of her questions were about the good things that I didn't even write about. Naturally, I rolled my neck in true sista girl fashion and I thought, this chick doesn't even know me, and I highly doubt she's 30, so what does she know? Well, she knows a heck of a lot more than I do if she has read my posts over the course of time and recognizes from my words alone that I'm a whole lot better now than I have ever been.

No, my angst did not evaporate because of this realization, but it did ignite appreciation in me. As a reminder of how far I've come, I read some old journal entries. As I read entries from my 20s and 30s, I cried -- I cried hard -- because I could not believe how many of the things I had accomplished and how many prayers God had answered. The one thing I had prayed about over and over was to be released from the prison of morbid obesity. I had written about severe ankle pain, arthritis and my doctor's repeated warnings about diabetes and hypertension. I even suffered through an abusive relationship because of low self esteem. At 40 and 10 abuse free years, I no longer experience any of these things, nor am I at high risk for diabetes or hypertension. So what the heck was I complaining about?

Katie's questions were the nudge I needed to take a moment to be thankful for being 40, fit and fabulous! Katie's words made me think of the illustration where the man sorrowed over having no shoes until he ran into the man with no feet. Who am I to complain about 40 when I have shoes and feet. As valid as my concerns may have been, they don't outweigh a grateful heart. Thanks Katie! I think I'll take these shoes and feet and run right on to 41.