22 Reasons 44 Is a Great Age: A Birthday Letter to Katharina

Dear Katharina, today you turn 44, and I hear you're not exactly thrilled about marching straight on toward 50 and that you think this whole getting-older thing could take a little break. So I'm going to find you a few arguments for why 44 is a great age to be.

22 Reasons It's Great to Be 44

1. You're still closer to 40 than to 50
2. The second half of your life is going to give you so much more time for yourself, because the kids get more independent and that leaves gaps for you again
3. You have four kids and four siblings, and you're turning 44. If four isn't your lucky number, I don't know whose it is
4. You've been on board at StadtLandMama for 11 years, so repeating numbers (in Germany we call them "Schnapszahlen," or schnapps numbers, and they're considered a good excuse for a toast) are clearly your thing
5. You don't have to go looking for a man anymore to make your wish for kids come true
6. You're not as clueless as you were at 24, and you get to enjoy your life experience. Who's left to tell you which way to go after you've taken responsibility for several human lives?
7. You've got incredibly exciting years ahead of you, because you'll get to see which path your kids choose for themselves
8. You no longer have to live in grungy student apartments on way-too-busy streets
9. You're not old yet, so you still have plenty of time for your dreams
10. You don't have a lousy boss whose pockets you're lining
11. You can do your job from home, so you can still see your kids at lunchtime
12. You're starting a new podcast and you'll try so many more things, because new ideas keep popping up around the corner
13. You know who you like having around, and you don't have to waste time on people who aren't good for you anymore
14. You don't have to let anyone boss you around whose opinion you don't value
15. At heart, you've stayed young anyway
16. You don't have to stumble across dance floors at night or swipe on Tinder to find the partner of your life anymore
17. You don't have to choose a career out of 1,001 options anymore
18. You don't have to hunt for apartments and ask your parents to co-sign the lease anymore
19. Nobody tells you when to go to bed anymore, and you don't have final exams looming over you either
20. Your life stands on a solid foundation of values
21. Your kids haven't lost it in the teen years yet
22. As far as I know, there are no menopause symptoms yet

And I'm stopping right here at number 22, because that's a repeating number too. I'm so glad you've been around for 44 years, and I hope I get to send you words like these on your 88th birthday. Happy, happy birthday! Enjoy your day, your year, and getting older, which only means we get gifted even more time on this planet. And every single day holds the chance to turn out great!