And I Thought Turning 40 Sucked

Endless Energy. What I wouldn’t give to have that back.  There were very few periods of my single, single life (meaning before the kid) that I didn’t work 2 or more jobs.  Who needed sleep? And the majority of my 2^nd jobs ran late into the night, if not early into the morning.  And I still have the energy to party when called upon.  Driving to Chicago for a Bachelorette Party and getting like 4 hours of sleep the entire weekend.

Metabolism of a Hummingbird.  With all that boundless energy, I also burned through a ton of calories. Add to that I was on my feet while working my 14 jobs, I didn’t need to exercise.  I was constantly in motion.  Ate like a parolee on their 1^st day out of prison.   Now I have to watch what I eat and exercise on a regular basis.  It’s exhausting.

Friends Everywhere.  At any given time, I could call like 20 people and find someone to go out.  Now my friends are scattered to the 4 winds and making new friends is hard.  Like super-hard.  Married women don’t like to hang with single/divorced women unless they knew them while they were still married.  They look at us like poachers.  I have a boyfriend – I just want to date you, not your husband!!

Money. I had more money than God.  Working all the time, low rent, even lower utilities.  Not having to worry about school zone limits freed me up to live wherever.  More money meant a better wardrobe.  Now I tend to look like I’m wearing someone’s castoffs.  Since I buy at thrift stores……well, you do the math.

Little to No Illness.  I hit 40 and my body literally fell apart.  I had a hysterectomy at 42, cancer surgery at 44, appendectomy at 47 and gall bladder surgery last year.   When I die, there will be no internal organs left, at this rate.  I rarely missed work when I was younger.  I was the dependable one who only took off 2 weeks around Memorial Day and 2 weeks around Labor Day.

Dear God, we had a deal.  I don’t want to get older!!!!!   Please just give me my energy back. I’m so tired.

Written by: Allyson Johns