sarahsweets, what an amazing post! You really captured so many things that were/are significant during the lives of us 40 somethings! Though some things you mentioned were scary and painful, others were just marvelous. I guess as many older or middle-aged people tend to do, I think of those as the "good ole" days and am happy I grew up then rather than now.

I'm in my late 40s. I guess my experience is a little unique in that I never had children and never will. That has allowed me to do some things those with children couldn't, but at the same time I don't have some valuable relationships/experiences that those with kids do. I guess it likely affects how I look at aging, to a degree.

One very significant thing about being in my 40s is that I have already experienced more loss than I would have liked. I'm becoming a little more resilient, but when more and more loss comes it definitely tests that resiliency. The fact is, the life as I knew it is different. I can't say that difference is all bad, but I haven't full realized exactly how I feel about it, what I want in the future, etc. My husband wants to move abroad in the near future. That means more fully studying another language, adjusting to life in a new country/culture, starting over again meeting friends and building a mental health support system. That's tough for me and equals new challenges. That would be tough for anyone, but I think especially for some with a mental illness. [I'm a bit scared!] My mood fluctuates between elated or irritable hypomanic and occasionally full manic, a curious baseline, and sort of a low or mixed low that includes some dread because of uncertainty. I know that I should have plenty of interesting years ahead of me, but unlike when I was young, I proceed with caution. My bipolar illness has indeed weakened me in certain ways, and yet strengthened me in others. I am wiser, for sure, but sometimes knowledge and wisdom removes a little bit of idealism.

My husband is over 13 years older than me. That brings with it some additional things to think about. My husband is only one year younger than my mother was when she suddenly died of cancer. That fact lingers in my mind occasionally. Because of my long-term disability, we are not that well financially prepared for future retirement, like my parents and grandparents were. I know that younger generations will have very big challenges ahead of them, too.

On the lighter side, I just LOVED the band U2 (of course specifically Bono) when I was a teenager. Actually, I still adore that group. I think their album "The Joshua Tree" came out when I was in 10th grade of high school.