• Question: I have a friend who has a theory that everyone has a particular decade in their life that is their "golden decade." It's the decade in which you thrive, and the decade that your personality is best suited for. For example, she said that she thought hers would be in her 30's- which I can see. She's going to be really stylish, a little older and mature and past her crazy 20's, and I think it will work really well for her personality. She thinks my best decade will be my 50's...which I can kind of see, but can't exactly verbalize why right now. I think I'd be a pretty badass 50 year old.

    So what, my dear Lydia, is YOUR golden decade?

    p.s. I LOVE the website with the African kings!! WISE choice! - charbar
  • Answer:

    Dear God, Charlotte, what happened today? I know you’re ok but still, you’ve got to be shaken up from this morning. Be careful, ok? I need you to be my Moscow buddy when I get there this summer.

    So, believe it or not, I’ve been thinking about your question for a while, because it kind of hits all of my insecurities at once; I’ve recently become a little bit terrified of aging, but I’ve always been a little bit uncomfortable in the trappings of youth. (People used to call me “mature” all the time, but what does that mean when applied to a 5th grader?)

    I agree about the 50s for you, because you’ll be, hm, super super badass? Not that you aren’t now, but you’ll (hopefully) have a shock of salt-and-pepper hair, which will be ridiculously sassy. (Plus experience and stuff, but the hair’s the most important part, no?)

    In answer to your question, I like the idea of the 30s – it’s always seemed like the time when you’ve decided to either follow your kids around and settle into family life or have your life for yourself to do the things you really absolutely want to do, like travel the world and read voraciously and such. In your 20s you’ve become “you,” but you can still be completely unsure of what you want to do with your life. By your 40s you’ve likely settled down and by the 50s you’re a kickass lady. In your 30s, you’re still choosing, but it’s somehow not as scary as it used to be. In short, I think I’ll be at my best when I’m neither completely insecure nor completely secure.