I can honestly say that when 2020 started, I had no idea what this birthday would hold and never could have imagined the months leading up to it. There have been so many life lessons learned just in the last few months but also really important reminders as I reflected on how far I have come since my younger days.

First and foremost, I know that most of us have learned to truly stop and appreciate life, especially when it came to an abrupt halt in mid-March. I had time to reflect on how much I valued things like our health, time with family and friends, and the busy lives we lived prior to the stay at home order. But with that, came the realization that sometimes life’s greatest obstacles and barriers can be some of the ultimate turning points when we rise to the occasion and discover a strength we didn’t even know we had.

Overnight, I went from a busy, working mom of two teens to doing all of that at home while my husband and I both navigated changes to our jobs and how we would manage supporting our family. I have said it before that I am a big believer in trusting God’s plan and I have remained true to that throughout this time and still believe that He will show us the path to a brighter future. I can already see how he has carried us through these last few months and will guide us through the next few as well.

As I reflected back on my 20’s and even my 30’s, I truly believe that so much of what I learned in those years helped prepare me to handle anything in my 40’s. My 20’s were a time of self-discovery as an adult, figuring out who I wanted to be and ultimately who I wanted to be with. I was married by 28 and became a mom going into my 30’s.

My 30’s were the years where I was trying to figure out motherhood and still maintain a healthy marriage and a career. I really enjoyed my 30’s though because I felt like I really evolved as a person and started to become so much more comfortable with who I am.

When I hit that big 4-0 that seemed so ominous for so many years, I didn’t worry or stress about it the way most people did. As much as I don’t like getting older, I really do enjoy finding more of myself with each passing year. I used to worry so much about everything, especially what other people thought of me, and trust me, I still worry plenty but not about what other people think as much. I trust that the people that are in my life at this stage are the ones who have truly accepted me for who I am.

As we head towards the second half of the strangest year on record, I am hopeful that we will begin to find a balance of focusing on staying healthy while prioritizing what really matters in life. For me, the end goals are teenagers who are happy above all else and building a life filled with the people who matter the most. If 2020 has reminded us of anything, it is that life is so precious and we need to remember to treasure it as a true gift from God.