Baby me in 1977
For frame of reference, the following are the simple fields I included on my survey:
Name:
Birth date:
Where were you born (city and state)?
Where did you grow up? (Include multiple places and an explanation if needed.)
When you were a child, what did you think you'd be doing when you grew up?
By the time you were 25, what were you actually doing with your life?
What do you do now?
What are one or two of the more significant changes you've seen in society or culture in your lifetime?
How does it feel to be turning 40?
What's the worst thing about getting older?
What's the best thing about getting older?
Where do you think you'll be in another 10, 20, or even 40 years?
Would you like to say anything else about the monumental milestone of 40, the year 2017, or yourself?
2-year-old me in 1979
I realize not everyone is as reflective and contemplative as I tend to be, although from observation I gather that many people take the opportunity to ponder life at this milestone age. By way of introduction, I will start with myself and my own answers to the survey.
My name is Crystal Garvin, and I was born in Boise, Idaho on April 18, 1977. I grew up in Fort Benton, Montana. When I was 6 years old, I declared that I would become a writer. I loved to document what was going on around me with drawings, photos, captions, and written details. During my emotionally dramatic early teen years, I also took to writing a lot of poetry -- something I can still do pretty easily when I put my mind to it, but I don't attempt it much anymore.
On my 5th birthday in April 1982
By the time I was 25, I had been married for 5 years and had graduated with an undergraduate college degree in English with double minor in Professional Writing and Spanish. I had worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine copy editor, grant writer for a non-profit theater, technical editor, print shop graphics designer, and publications designer and editor for another non-profit agency. I guess you could say I had run the gamut of what was available to someone with an English degree. I enjoyed my career, but I wanted with all my heart to be a stay-at-home mom, and freelance editing wasn't about to pay my bills. I never thought I would be in sales or even marketing, but I began my career in network marketing with a skin care company in 2005 and had my first child in 2006. In 2013 I transitioned into natural health with an essential oils and supplement company, and all my years in network marketing paid off quickly with this new opportunity. I had found the perfect fit for me, and thanks to my business, my husband was able to quit his job and we began traveling with our three sons in an RV all around the country, an adventure that lasted two years (and just ended a month ago when we began settling back into a house).
On the farm in Montana
In my lifetime, technology has changed so quickly that I sometimes can hardly believe I grew up in a time when we didn't have Internet or cell phones. Culturally, I have witnessed a shift from a right/wrong mindset to an "anything goes" worldview that has permeated the majority. I personally feel this has resulted in quite a bit of moral confusion as well as some volatile interactions between people who believe in moral absolutes and those who claim they don't (although when pressed even they can think of situations they would view as always good/bad or right/wrong.)
Another farm pic with the Missouri River in the background
Turning 40 feels surreal. I can remember being 10, 20, and 30 so clearly and couldn't have imagined myself at 40 then. It's true that you can feel young mentally, not have all the answers like you thought you would, but be dealing with a physical body that is aging increasingly quickly. Young people tend to look at you and expect either sage wisdom that comes with age or a complete inability to understand the current times (in typical "old fogey" fashion).
The worst thing about getting older is probably recognizing that my body isn't always as cooperative or capable as it once was, which I certainly took for granted. However, I am finding that healthy dietary choices, exercise, vitamins and supplements, and essential oils greatly ease the difficulties of aging.
39-year-old me
To me, the best thing about getting older has got to be finally letting go of being a people-pleaser. Life is simply too short for me to try to please all of the people all of the time. I value my time too much to participate in more drama than I must address, and I have no problem separating myself from things that waste my time or energy. I suppose that's some "sage wisdom" showing through in spite of myself.
In 10 years, my children will be 17, almost 19, and 21. I imagine it will be a fun, busy, and bittersweet time as I try to release them into their lives and callings while grasping in vain at their fleeting childhoods. In another 10 years, I should be a grandparent who has seen a lot more of the world, and maybe by 60 I'll finally write that book I thought I'd have written by the time I was 30. At age 70, I hope to be vastly content and peaceful, impressively active both mentally and physically, and fully ready for whatever the Lord may have for me next, be that a grand adventure across the world or preparation for eternity with Him.
Here's to turning 40 next week!
The year 2017 can be the best year of our lives. Often that just comes down to attitude, habits, and choices. The only thing I can think to add is that wherever you are in life, I encourage you to be all there. Live your moments. Love the now -- the little things that comprise your one life story -- and stay as present as you can. Distraction is deceptive and can steal and destroy a life. These are lessons I'm learning now, and whether you're 25 or 75, I encourage you to be mindful of focus vs. distraction.
That's it for me. Soon I'll start introducing my friends and friends-of-friends who responded to the survey. We are 1977, and I think we're pretty amazing. I hope you enjoy our stories!