Where Did I Expect to Be at Age 32

This week I’ll turn 32. When I look back at my past and forward into my future I must say that time has been good to me.

I am married to the perfect man for me. If you believe in the cosmos and aligning of the stars you would definitely believe that my husband was cut out of a mold just for me. Of course it wasn’t a perfect fit right right from the start. We had to trim a little here and bend the rim a little bit there, but through solid communication and understanding we’ve forged an amazing relationship.

In many ways we’re extremely similar, but in those ways that we differ he’s the yin to my yang. I thank God every day for providing me with such an amazing gift. In my younger years I certainly thought I would be married by age 32, but back then I had no idea how great that love would be.

By age 32 I thought I’d be in the market for my first house. In reality I bought my first house by age 24 and my second at 28. I never would’ve imagined owning two houses by my early thirties and certainly not a house by the sea. I thought I’d rent an apartment for a very long time and buy a very modest house after saving for many, many years.

For as long as I can remember I wanted to become a writer. I studied literature in college and never expected to earn a large income. My younger self didn’t own a computer and certainly wouldn’t have pictured my job or my salary as a software developer.

Like everyone else my younger self believed I was invincible, so I definitely wasn’t prepared for a life of chronic health issues. But in the big scheme of illnesses and traumas I’ve come to realize that my health could be much worse. I’m thankful for both an understanding employer and a salary large enough to pay all the medical bills.

There is only one thing missing from the image of my 32 year-old self. In my youth I imagined a baby in the picture well before the age of 32. Unexpected health issues, completely unrelated to infertility may have interfered with these plans, but as time progresses I’ve come to appreciate this special time alone with my husband.

I’m looking forward to turning 32. Every year my life seems to get better and better. Oddly enough I’ve come to appreciate all of the years, even those years of surgeries and procedures. In fact, without those years my life may have taken a completely different course.

I know some people want to see a map of their future. Personally, I like looking forward to the unknown. So far, the life I live is much better than the one I imagined!

5 thoughts on “Where Did I Expect to Be at Age 32”

  1. Happy birthday! It's great that your life has turned out so much better than you imagined. As I think back to what I imagined for my life back in my 20's (currently age 29), I'm pretty close. A few differences:
    – Back then I had no idea that I'd be making over $100K (by mid-twenties, this became a goal after I switched industries). Originally I planned on going into non-profit work
    – I thought I would have purchased a house or condo by now
    – I thought I'd have a newborn

    All in all, I am very happy with where I am with my life as well.

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  2. have a happy happy birthday!

    I am very happy with my life at 32, though I have no idea how I might have imagined it. šŸ™‚

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  3. Happy birthday, Frugal Girl, and I'll let you in on a little secret: My 50s are shaping up to be better than anything I could have imagined.
    In other words, the best is yet to come.
    Have a swell celebration, and remember: It isn't really a party until the police have been called.

    Reply
  4. …"So far, the life I live is much better than the one I imagined!" – Awesome!

    I am only 24 now, and I can only hope to be as happy as you are at 32.

    Happy Birthday and Cheers to an awesome year!

    Reply

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