To The Mom Turning Thirty

To the mom turning thirty, 

Say that again with me, you’re turning thirty. 

You found your first gray hair earlier this year after having your daughter. Doesn’t the saying go that little girls steal their mother’s looks? But I’m sure that precious new baby is worth the gray hair and it was bound to happen eventually, right? This is just the start of the rite of passage into your thirties. 

Do you have any regrets in the life you’ve lived so far?  

Sure, there are some ex-boyfriends that you probably regret and some embarrassing moments from your early twenties. 

But have you really looked at the big picture? All the accomplishments and decisions in your life. 

Like when your friends were traveling the world, were you jealous because you were already married and saving for a house instead of spending money gallivanting around the world? 

While your friends were moving up the corporate ladder and giving their lives to their careers, did it make you feel unaccomplished because you chose to stay in the comfy job that offered the work-life balance? (Or perhaps you quit your job altogether to stay home with the kiddos)

Did you feel like an outcast when your friends were inviting you to go to the bar and you wanted to go tuck in early because you had a teething baby at home? 

Yes, most women turning 30 these days are still single. They’re dating around or enjoying the single life and you married the boy you’ve been with since you were 20. 

Yes, most women turning 30 are not planning on having kids for a while still (and some not even at all). But you made the decision to go for it early so you could enjoy those precious children longer. 

Jesus began His ministry that would change this world at the age of 30. The founder of Facebook, became a billionaire in his early twenties. Oprah found success and became a millionaire at the age of 32. 

What did you accomplish today? Laundry. Some dishes. Cooked a meal (or maybe did some leftovers?). And the changing of a lot of diapers.

Little tasks that you do everyday, right? But let’s look again at your day. There also was a lot of laughter. You played, snuggled, and read books with your kids. You remembered to look up more often so you could cherish the little moments, watching your children play together and giggle. You had meaningful conversations and cuddle time with your husband after you tucked the kids in, something that rarely happens so you cherish that time when you get it. 

All. Of. This. This is the important stuff, right? This is the stuff that matters the most, am I not right? 

So to the mom turning thirty, I’m going to ask you again, any regrets in your life so far? 

Nope, not even for a second?  

Good girl. 

(And yes, it is the author’s 30th birthday this week.)