Reflections - 7
As I sit here on my 40th birthday, I find myself at an interesting place. Not because I suddenly feel different, but because this milestone naturally invites reflection.
It’s easy to spend too much time looking behind us, replaying moments we can’t change. It’s just as easy to spend too much time looking ahead, worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Neither place is where life is actually lived.
Life is happening right here, in the present.
But even while sitting in this moment, I can’t help but acknowledge both the road behind me and the one that still lies ahead.
Looking back, I can honestly say that everything I experienced was necessary. The victories, the disappointments, the relationships that lasted, the ones that didn’t, the uncertainty, the setbacks, the moments I questioned myself—they all had a purpose. None of them were wasted. Every experience helped shape the person writing these words today.
And when I look ahead, I don’t expect life to suddenly become easy simply because I’m turning forty. There will be more challenges. More unexpected turns. More moments that test my patience, my faith, and my resilience.
The difference is that I now know how I want to meet them.
I’ve learned to pause before reacting. I’ve learned to take inventory of my thoughts before allowing my emotions to take over. I’ve learned that not every obstacle deserves fear and not every setback deserves a permanent place in my story.
Perhaps one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that my definition of friendships, relationships, partnerships—really, every kind of “ship”—wasn’t always the same as someone else’s. And that’s okay.
Not everyone is meant to stay forever.
Sometimes life quietly removes people to make room for what was always meant to find you. That doesn’t always make the process easy, but with time I’ve come to believe that even endings can serve a beautiful purpose.
If there’s one thing I hope anyone reading this takes away, it’s this:
When life becomes difficult, don’t rush to ask, “Why is this happening to me?”
Instead, ask, “What is this trying to teach me?”
That single question has changed the way I experience life.
Don’t allow hardship to make you bitter. Don’t let disappointment convince you to become jaded. Don’t let pain rob you of your ability to remain open to what’s still possible.
Life will continue to teach us until our very last day. The more willing we are to listen, the more rewarding the journey becomes.
As I celebrate this milestone, my heart is filled with gratitude.
To every person who has crossed my path—whether you stayed for a season or a lifetime—thank you. Every conversation, every lesson, every challenge, every act of kindness helped shape who I am today. I carry those experiences with me, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Forty doesn’t feel like an ending.
It feels like a deeper understanding of how I want to live.
So here’s to embracing the present, honoring the lessons of the past, welcoming whatever the future may bring, and continuing to move through this remarkable journey called life with curiosity, gratitude, and an open heart.
Because life isn’t here to drive us.
We’re here to drive our lives.
Until Next Time,
Best Kind To Yourself. Be Patient With Yourself.
-JVB
