Truths: Grey hair, menopause, and burritos at 1am

Aaaaaahhhh the joy of turning 40! I swear that in the last few weeks my hair has turned grey! Yep, those silver horse hairs are popping up all over my head. Everyone says they can’t see them (because my hair is highlighted about 100 different shades of blonde) but once I point them out they say, “Wow, yeah – there are a lot!”

Good friends always just tell the truth! Thanks!

But seriously, as I was driving yesterday and looked in the mirror – all I could see was grey hair sticking up all through my part. What the Hell happened?

I took a deep breath and told myself, “This is just a sign that reads, ‘you are now old enough to quit trying to be someone you are not. Relish who you are and let all your hang-ups vanish. Embrace that you have reached this time in your life because this is when people really start living.”

Its true, right? I hope.

They say that 40 is the new 20… God, I hope not – though I sure lived like I was 20 on Saturday night… We had bowling and our good friends, Adam and Nancy were there – and that means… well, it just means a lot of fun. (maybe a lot of drinking)… We were the last to leave bowling and found ourselves at a burrito place at 1am – eating like I remember doing in college at the infamous late night/early morning hangout: La Bamba.

Nancy was speaking Spanish and the rest of us were trying to figure out what she was saying. I know the employee was laughing at us – but we were having the best time. And I couldn’t help but wonder the next day (as I downed a few Tylenol) is that what 40 year olds do? When you are 20 – I don’t think you envision staying out late and hitting a food joint in the early am at 40 years old… But there I was with grey hair and all acting like I just left a fraternity party.

I also think 40 is the new 13 going on 60 because my body is going through changes that drive me insane. The inconsistent periods, the pimples all over my face, the drastic mood swings and lately the night sweats!

No one ever told me that at 40 I should really be sleeping in a baby pool not a king size bed. I wake up in the middle of the night – drenched! I have to change my shirt and wipe myself down.

I was talking to my 91 year old grandma yesterday and menopause came up. She couldn’t believe that I was going thru the early stages of it – but I told her I just want to be done with it.

She was taken back – because she dreaded menopause – not because of the symptoms but because it meant she was old. Kind of funny coming from a woman is who now 90.

I haven’t thought about menopause that way… I think of it as freeing. Once you have the children you want – why on Earth do I want to suffer a week out of each month? To rid my bath closet of tampons and pads – seems like a dream come true.

I don’t want to be old – but I don’t feel like I am. Sure the grey hairs are painted on my scalp but they remind me of how much I have already lived – and I figure that if I can eat a burrito at 1am – I can’t be that old just yet.