Turning 30 is a milestone that feels both surreal and incredibly significant. As I watch my daughter reach this age, it's hard to believe how fast the time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday she was a little girl, and now she’s grown and is embarking on the next chapter of her life.
There are so many wonderful memories. There have been lots of ups and downs, trials and triumphs, but through it all, I am so proud. From her first day of school to her university graduation, she has grown into a compassionate, resilient, and independent young woman. She's faced adversity with courage, pursued her passions with determination, and never wavered in her commitment to making a difference in the world.
There were times I had moments of doubt and uncertainty, times when I questioned whether I was doing enough or making the right choices. But with each milestone she reached, each obstacle she overcame, my faith in her and in myself grew stronger.
Together, we've weathered storms and celebrated victories. It has been quite a ride.
Entering the 30s is like reaching a summit after a long climb through teens and twenties. Those earlier years are marked by a whirlwind of hormonal changes and pressures to have your life planned out. But going into the third decade, something shifts. By then we've experimented, stumbled, and found footing. Suddenly, we're standing on firmer ground, more aware of what we're good at and what truly matters.
By now we've weathered terrible jobs and endured heartache, emerging stronger and wiser. Toxic people and negative influences are easier to spot. We start prioritizing our own well-being without guilt, knowing that self-care is not selfish but essential.
With newfound confidence, we no longer tolerate nonsense. We confidently set boundaries and say no to situations or people that are draining. Understanding limits which results in less stress. And in matters of the heart, clarity prevails. We are more likely to find someone who aligns with our values and goals.
Gone are the days of comparing to others or succumbing to the fear of missing out. Stepping into our thirties with a sense of liberation.
As I think about my own life at 30, it was a year filled with mixed emotions though. I was loving being a mom to the cutest little girl. We had recently bought our first home. Things were really looking up in our world. However, that world came crashing to a halt the day my brother was killed in a car accident on the way to pick up his son from school. It was a devastating loss - he was actually buried on my 30th birthday. That whole week felt like an unbelievably bad dream.
Though the sadness was overwhelming at the time, just a short time later, happiness reined in our home again as we learned we were expecting our second child. I had big dreams and hopes for the future, I never could have imagined the incredible adventures that lay ahead. Becoming a mother for the second time was also a whirlwind of emotions, but every challenge was outweighed by the overwhelming love I felt for my growing family.
When I make comparisons from the time I hit the big three-zero to now, as my daughter turns thirty this month, I can’t help but think about how much has changed. Technology alone has been significant in our lives, with the internet and smartphones. I would have looked at you very oddly if you said at that time we would all have cordless phones that would let us talk to anyone, anywhere, right away. I remember the day a co-worker purchased a phone for her car - it was a big clunky thing. It looked more like the receiver of a landline (the old time landlines). Still everyone who saw it was so impressed.
Social media has also changed how we talk and spend time together, making the world feel smaller. Of course, that concept would have been real sci-fi back then.
I remember being pregnant the first time - I left work early one day – hopped on the commuter train only to realize a few minutes later I was going the wrong way. The first stop was an hour out to a small undeveloped town with a very small train station. There was nothing but fields and fields all around. A very isolating area which today – 30 years later- not surprisingly is fully developed.
At the time, my husband was waiting to pick me up at the station near our home and was wondering where I was. Of course, I was a bit nervous and a little frazzled trying to figure out next steps. There was only one way to reach him and that was calling from a phone booth to our home landline and hope that he would be there to answer. Luckily after a couple attempts, we spoke. I then had to call a cab from the same phone booth to come and get me. Thank goodness I had quarters in my wallet to make the calls. When the cab driver arrived, he indicated that I was lucky he responded to the call because I was in the middle of nowhere, he thought at first it was a prank call.
When I think back on that experience alone, I wonder…. how did we ever survive without the iPhone?
Fast forward to today - everything is moving at such a fast pace. I imagine in time, we’ll be flying in the air - just like “The Jetsons”! It sounds crazy, but maybe not as impossible as it seems.
Big companies like Uber and Toyota are working hard on making flying cars. The idea is for them to run on electricity and fly themselves.
There’s been a lot of progress. Some test flights have gone well, and many people are excited about the idea of flying cars becoming a real thing. While we might not have them in every garage just yet, the progress in recent years is promising.
Robotic maids and teleportation devices doesn’t seem so far-fetched after all. As technology continues to evolve, who knows?
We sometimes forget just how far we have come in such a short time and the possibilities appear to be endless.
Aside of all the technology, being a mom has changed a lot too. If we needed to know something about pregnancy or parenting back in the day, we spoke with other moms and read books
(What to Expect When You’re Expecting was the Mama Bible of the times).
We even used baby powder and oragel – imagine!!!!
Today, moms can still grab a copy of the new and improved books however, more often then not, they connect online and find answers to their questions quickly. There are support groups around every corner and lots of activities to engage in for both new mom and baby. And, many of the baby staples have improved significantly. Designer strollers, highchairs and playpens– I am in awe of all the features available.
With all the changes, some things still stand the test of time though - being a mom is still about love, care, and always doing what's best for our kids. The way we do things may have changed but our love for our children is still out of this world. Something that technology can never imitate or replace.
As my daughter now enters her thirties, I know that her journey ahead will be filled with new adventures and challenges. But whatever the future holds, I am confident that she is ready to handle it with grace, courage, and the same spirit that has always been hers alone.
So here's to thirty years of laughter and love, of growth and discovery, and to many more memories yet to be made.
Happy Birthday to my favourite 30 year old!!!!
Can’t wait to see the world in another 30!
Yorumlar