recipe for turning forty

Turning 40 has all kinds of attachments, I guess. People raise their eyebrows at the very least anyway. For me, it’s been as easy as turning 20 and 30. Maybe I’ve found the perfect recipe.

Ingredients:
Europe
Younger boyfriend
Paris
Travel

▫ First move to Europe a few years before turning 40. This will make you feel like you’re 27 instead of 37.
▫ Find a younger boyfriend. Not too young mind you. Like an avocado that you press the stem end for ripeness, you can check a younger man’s readiness. Has he settled into his career? Does he have a savings account? Does he own real estate? These are good ripeness tests. But you don’t want over ripe. Is he spontaneous? Does he like to travel? Does he like to dance?
▫ Spend two years meeting your boyfriend in romantic places all over Europe. I recommend Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Lisbon.



▫ The last ingredient is a bit out of your control, but this is true of many recipes. You can mix everything together perfectly but the oven may heat unevenly or the humidity level may cause your cake to fall. It takes some luck. Your boyfriend takes you to Paris for your birthday, just one night. He takes you to the Moulin Rouge for dinner and the show. Then he takes you to the Trocadero to view the Eiffel Tower at night. While sitting on the steps, he asks you to marry him. Accept.

I love forty!