Life begins at 40!!!

I think that maybe by the time we are 40, most of us have figured out who we are, what we want and how to go about getting it. And, along with all the reasons you listed, well, what more can one ask for? You work hard, raise a family, send them off into the world to start the cycle over again, then you start taking it easy and actually enjoying the life you built for all those years.

Actually, life began at 44 for me! lol I seperated from a 16 year marriage, later divorced within the year. I moved into my own apartment, paid my own bills, and did what I wanted in my free time, which mostly was spending time with my daughters, my youngest was in high school at the time. The next year I met an amazing man, made a 1600 mile move, which I would have never even considered before that time. But, you are right, your kids are grown, or pretty much so, and are going off to make their own lives. No PTA meetings, football games, pep rallies, basketball games, and 50 other activities every evening of the week and weekends. No looking for your favorite pen, because it's in your teenagers room, or hunting for your good scissors, favorite cd, etc..........because it's in your teenager's room lol. You have time to explore new possibilities, you for the most part have found your 'dream' job. And, if you want to go on a spur of the moment weekend trip, it doesn't take a lot of planning and packing for more than two people. So, yeah, life begins around 40!

I think it is said so that we can make ourselves feel good about being 40!! I will be 40 in five years, and right at this moment I am not seeing that life is going to begin at 40!! My kids will not be grown up and left, not sure whether we will have a nest egg although we might have a few straws to start building it. Its a good idea about sticking with fifty and sixty year olds, I shall make sure all my friends then will be older than me!

I cannot say so..my kids are just 4 and 5 years old..(lol), I could say that mit 40 begon my fathers live on..wounderfoul I have to say Nun

Oh goodness, that would be me in a year or two. I try not to think about it and I sometimes totally forget that I'm approaching that age. I don't know exactly what to make of it. Life goes on at whatever the age we're in. Forty can be an important milestone in our lives and in my case, I'll do something memorable on that day. Maybe go bungee jumping. That would be a blast!

Haha nice discussion. I think the main reason for life beginning at 40 is that one you have mentioned of the kids have grown up and flown the nest and also you have been in your field of work for so long that you become an expert and earning money is a lot easier. Most of the mortgage is paid off. Think of retirement and all the holidays you can go on.