The Dreaded Dirty Thirty

Our teen years are a time of discoveries, and when we get to celebrate our “Sweet Sixteen.” The twenties are a time of fun and frolic; we get to celebrate turning “Twenty-one” and bask in the privileges that being legal has to offer.

Then, we turn thirty…

The excitement grows dim. Birthday celebrations are now a blurred vision in the rear view mirror. And the grueling countdown of our last year on the calendar, begins.

I’m not far from becoming the dreaded dirty thirty. Like many, it’s not a birthday I’m stoked about. This has less to do with the fear of getting old, and more with having unaccomplished goals. C’mon, you know what I’m talking about. It may be that dream job with the corner office and the killer view. It may be owning the house on the hill with the white picket fence and a dog in the yard. It may be finding and marrying Mr. Right, and having little baby Rights running all over that house on the hill.

Okay, so maybe those goals are a little too far-fetched. Maybe it’s something as simple as moving out of your parent’s house, finishing school, finding a better job, or being more spiritually connected to God. We all have personal goals we want to see accomplished before crossing over the thirty threshold. And that’s why many dread turning thirty when they realize there are still unfinished goals. Feelings of disappointment and depression may threaten our thirties from being years of productivity and fulfillment. But when that happens, look at the bright side.

The Bright Side of Being Thirty:

1. You have 29 years of life experience under your belt
2. You’re no longer embarrassed to buy sensitive drugstore items
3. Your mind ages faster than your body (You’re wiser, but wrinkle and sag free)
4. You don’t get to be thirty alone—good friends and family are aging with you
5. People who are forty and fifty are waaaay older than you are!
6. You’re much better at financing and budgeting than you were in your twenties
7. Birthday candles now come in numbers, so you’ll just have one on your cake
8. You still have 10 whole years before turning forty!

Embrace being thirty. A lot of people aren’t privileged enough to live that long. So, stop calling thirty dirty, and celebrate your accomplishments thus far—regardless of how small. As my cousin said, “Dreams never die.” They might be delayed, but once we’re alive, there’s the hope of accomplishing them. Let’s trust God and be thrilled with our thirties.

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

What was or is your biggest fear of turning thirty?