39 Things I Know at 39

My temptation is for this post to be one line. At 39 I know nothing. Because that’s very much how I feel as I sit here about to pour my second glass of wine on the night of my 39th birthday. Because right now in the midst of a pandemic, nothing seems to be all I know. But I’m not going to let the current situation deflect from all the thing that I know to be true. And besides after months of being home with my family, I have to know somethings.

39 Things I Know at 39

1. Leadership matters. If the past months have shown me anything it’s how much leadership on a national level and on a local level matters so much. Every election and vote down to your school board matters.
2. Bringing people together feels so much better than dividing them.
3. Start something even when it’s not the perfect moment.
4. You can do anything for 30 seconds, or 30 days. Sometimes it’s knowing there is an end in sight that gets you through.
5. Stock up on toilet paper and paper towels and wine. And maybe gin too, and cheese and those little crackers from the specialty shop.
6. Yoga cures what ails you whether it’s back pain or the endless drum of a horrible 24-hour news cycle.
7. The right equipment matters. Buy a good yoga mat, cooking knife, or any other item you plan to use regularly.
8. Marry someone who your willing to spend several months stuck in the house with small children with. Even better if this person makes you laugh and occasionally cooks.
9. You can only be strong for so long. So when your dishwasher breaks mid quarantine it’s ok to sob.
10. Pandemics are not just something that they run specials about on the history channel that my husband likes to watch, they actually happen.
11. Build a community of people who love you and support you, and smile with you and laugh with you.
12. Send cards even when it’s not a holiday or birthday. Everyone loves getting mail.
13. Have a group of fierce, strong friends. It makes everything better.
14. Say the hard things because the chances are someone else needs to hear them.
15. Take your vitamins
16. Subscribe to a newspaper and read it
17. You are under no obligation to keep social media connections with people you have no intention of connecting within the real world.
18. Dance with your girlfriends every chance you get.
19. Stop making plans that you will consider canceling. Say hell yes to the things and people who bring you joy.
20. Sunglasses hide everything and are the only accessory you need.
21. Attend school board meetings and town council meetings. The more you know the better.
22. Make your home a place that brings you calm.
23. It will be the small, simple, moments that you miss the most. Like watching the school bus pull away.
24. Plan that girls weekend, just not till 2021.
25. Use the fancy wine glasses.
26. Buy ridiculously comfortable clothes
27. Dye your hair pink
28. Normal wasn’t working
29. Camping isn’t awful as long as you have a cabin and a toilet and wine. You know really roughing it.
30. Do all the things. You won’t regret it. Sitting at home these last few months I’ve been grateful for all the things we did.
31. You can do hard things.
32. One can not survive on coffee, wine, and carbs
33. When visiting a new city take a tour, even if no one else wants to. Better yet make it a mural tour.
34. You will never regret singing with your friends. Whether at a bar in Nashville, on a dance floor in Atlantic City, or in your car while watching Christmas lights.
35. Check-in on your people
36. Teach your kids to do laundry, cook, and clean.
37. VOTE
38. Take the vacation, hug your friends, visit your family, make the plans, chat with your neighbor, call your mom, take nothing for granted.
39. Wear a fucking mask.