REACT…chatting with LAURA… part 3

I could say many things (and you know I can) but I’m going to keep it simple: THANK YOU!!

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Thank you reader, whoever you are and WHERE EVER you are! with each new post on my TURNING 40 SERIES I am surprised at the views it gets and am gladder and gladder (sounds weird huh?! -like BLADDER- but I checked it: glad, gladder, gladdest) at having gone through with it (besides I’m getting to know my friends all over again…jajajaaaa)

So, THANKS!!

and let’s continue because LAURA  STILL HAS A BIT TO SAY…

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Chula, los 40 es algo significativo para ti o es sólo un cumple mas?…Turning 40 is it just another birthday or is it something significant to you?

LAURA: I can’t say it doesn’t mean anything. It is definitely a breaking point. I think it marks the beginning of the second part of my life…of MY LIFE: because now I do know who I am, what I want and what I don’t. Now I decide who I want to share my life with, what to invest my time in. I know that if I make a mistake it’s not the end of the world, I just try again or readjust my way. Now I know that I’m in no hurry because I’ve got all the time in the world.

ME: I like this: I’M IN NO HURRY BECAUSE I’VE GOT ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD… I won’t go into it because it gives for a whole other post but, gosh, how our vision and perspective, our sense and feeling of time and events has changed…looking back, retracing my thoughts to my teenage years, I would’ve thought that a 40 year old would feel the pressure of time…BUT WE DON’T!!!

Beside slowing down…what habits have you taken up or broken becauSe of your upcoming 40th?

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Que hábitos has adoptado y dejado con motivo de tu próximo 40 bday?

LAURA: It’s no exactly because of my 40th, but I think that the best habit I’ve broken is the feeling of GUILT. 90% of the time, now, I feel GUILT-FREE. The best habits I’ve taken up are to learn how to identify what I feel and let myself express it, both the good and the bad.

ME: Oh my, let’s see how many habits I collect from you gals: I’ve got the SWEET TOOTH Cristy wants to stop and I’m constantly on a GUILT TRIP which I’d love to stop…You’re gonna have to give me some pointers there!!!

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So, is TURNING 40 what you imagined it would be? Are YOU what you imagined you would be?  Do you see yourself as you remember your mother looked when she was 40?

LAURA: I really do feel CHRONOLOGICALLY OUT OF PLACE. My mind doesn’t associate being 40 with the image I have of myself. I realize that I didn’t have a clear idea of what being 40 would be.

And my mom, well, in my eyes my mom is always perfect: she always knows everything, she’s always in control and has all the answers whatever age she might be. Trying to think back, I suppose I do look a bit like her when she was                     my age, which gives me happy hopes for the future.

ME: You do look like your mom, could it be that light that shines through?!

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You talked before about living GUILT-FREE…It suprises me that when we were younger, our mistakes would alter our whole lives in a negative way and now they’ve become opportunities for growth and forgiveness…what place does FORGIVENESS have in your life?

LAURA: Ill-blood, holding grudges has no place in my life. I don’t keep count and I have no bitter feelings towards no one or anything. It is a huge effort for me to try to remember why I was angry. It’s much easier to just turn the page and continue with life. It isn’t something I fight to accomplish, it is MY NATURE. In any case, I think that the only one I’ve had a hard time forgiving has been ME. and even so, I’m not that hard on myself.

OK people…Laura’s birthday is coming up which means that this chat is almost over…

GIVE US A PIECE OF YOUR MIND!! (the nice piece! jeje)