As of late, this is a theme that has been replaying in my life over and over and over and over, and I don't understand the reason. It seems that 28 is the new 15 when it comes to receiving advice from me. Granted, this isn't the case in all situations, but in many it truly is. I can't help but wonder why. It seems that it is the same few people who continue to talk down to me in the "you have no idea what this is like" stance.
Really? Would I be offering up my opinion or ANY amount of advice if I didn't understand where you were coming from?
No. I truly would not.
I find myself feeling frustrated at the fact that people look at me as being younger. Let's be honest - there are not many women who are near my own age who are in the place of life where I am. A few, yes, but not many. A majority of my friends are about 10 years older than I am, and when I am with them, they don't point out my age difference or make me feel any less relevant because of it.
So why do others? Why is it that other people fixate on my 28 years as being inexperienced? There are so many areas of life that I have too much experience; heartache, loneliness, desperately wanting something more ... check, check and check. Love, laughter, a live overflowing with happiness ... done, done and done! Anger, frustration, sadness ... been there, done that.
So maybe this all goes back to this post. Maybe it really is more about me being confident in the woman that God created me to be. I am a mother to five awesome children, a wife to one very amazing man, a scheduler of our busy lives, a manager of our household, a laundry goddess, a cleaning guru, a Norwex-seller extraordinaire, an accounts payable representative, a referee of all fights, a judge of the "trials" that happen between siblings in our home, a daughter to three amazing parents (three because I have a step-dad, too!), a sister to three phenomenal siblings, a sister-in-law, a step-sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend and an extreme goofball.
A woman with a huge desire to use my life experience to help others. To let my story be the thing that touches them and teaches them about the love of our Savior.
So yes, I am only 28. If my 28-year-old self doesn't qualify to offer advice to you, please just simply say "thank you" instead of talking down to me. You may not think that I understand because of where my life is today, but I have been deeper in the trenches than most people know, and I have one very awesome God to thank for walking with me through those trenches and leading me out into glorious light.
Beautiful, shining, victorious light ...
Really? Would I be offering up my opinion or ANY amount of advice if I didn't understand where you were coming from?
No. I truly would not.
I find myself feeling frustrated at the fact that people look at me as being younger. Let's be honest - there are not many women who are near my own age who are in the place of life where I am. A few, yes, but not many. A majority of my friends are about 10 years older than I am, and when I am with them, they don't point out my age difference or make me feel any less relevant because of it.
So why do others? Why is it that other people fixate on my 28 years as being inexperienced? There are so many areas of life that I have too much experience; heartache, loneliness, desperately wanting something more ... check, check and check. Love, laughter, a live overflowing with happiness ... done, done and done! Anger, frustration, sadness ... been there, done that.
So maybe this all goes back to this post. Maybe it really is more about me being confident in the woman that God created me to be. I am a mother to five awesome children, a wife to one very amazing man, a scheduler of our busy lives, a manager of our household, a laundry goddess, a cleaning guru, a Norwex-seller extraordinaire, an accounts payable representative, a referee of all fights, a judge of the "trials" that happen between siblings in our home, a daughter to three amazing parents (three because I have a step-dad, too!), a sister to three phenomenal siblings, a sister-in-law, a step-sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend and an extreme goofball.
A woman with a huge desire to use my life experience to help others. To let my story be the thing that touches them and teaches them about the love of our Savior.
So yes, I am only 28. If my 28-year-old self doesn't qualify to offer advice to you, please just simply say "thank you" instead of talking down to me. You may not think that I understand because of where my life is today, but I have been deeper in the trenches than most people know, and I have one very awesome God to thank for walking with me through those trenches and leading me out into glorious light.
Beautiful, shining, victorious light ...
Photo courtesy of Google Images
