Fierce, Fabulous & Forty!?

It's true, I am forty. As the saying goes(thanks Byron Katie), "you can argue with the truth, but the truth always wins." Forty is not really worthy of arguing over. Age, at least at this moment, doesn't really faze me. I think I am feeling pretty zen about forty. It's an even number, divisible by 8 (always good!) and, as my sweet & saucy son pointed out, it sounds younger than 39! So, whatever, I am forty. I can fully accept and own the "40" part of "Fierce, Fabulous & Forty!"

But as I look at the pink, black & white (super cute) Mylar balloon that declares "Fierce, Fabulous & Forty," I find myself struggling with the other adjectives. I really do. Do these words, in any way, describe me? Fierce, in its new (post Project Runway) definition makes me think of someone bold, confident, fashion forward & hot. Me? Let's just say I rock a mean pair of Lee jeans & KEEN sneakers. Now, I have some aspirations towards "fierceness," but the extra, extra weight I've been carrying for 5+ years provides a "fierce" barrier. That's my story anyway. Is it true?

Now, if we are talking the classic fierce definition I can see it a bit more. Fierce = tough, a little bitchy, a little scary, a LOT scary, an occasional f&*@$ing nut job. With this definition I can begin to own my "fierceness." And in case I need references to back me up, I believe my kids would speak to this. Albeit, very quietly and only if they new I wasn't listening. They would for sure tell you that I can be FIERCE after listening to, say, the "Great Crayon War of 2011" for the eleventh time! And I am telling you, if I have to hear about Max's lost pocket knife one more time I will become so fierce that my zen forty feeling will fade away!

Is it true? Am I fierce? Yes, I am fierce, I'm just not sure I'm the kind of fierce you want emblazoned on a balloon. You can argue with the truth...

Next time...FABULOUS. Really?