when u hit "30"

dear friend,

"welcome to the 30's club. dont get disillusioned by everything bad you hear about reaching 30. it is actually not that bad, take it from me, someone who has become 30 three months back. once you reach 30 you kind of reach the middle of your life, you can look back and see all of your past--the good times, the bad times, the right decisions, the mistakes, brave moments, silly moments...list goes on...and you also can see your future stretched out in front of you like a shining sea waiting to be explored...you are young enough to face all the storms and seek adventures while old and wise enough not to let your boat sink!!! so have a great day and get ready for a great life from today onwards!!!"


remember that friends episode when rachel turned 30 and all her friends were with her trying to cheer her up and basically make her feel that she has not reached the end of her life etc etc...i have often seen that episode...(i have seen all episodes of friends over and over again...so that is not a big deal) to get back, while watching this episode i often used to wonder now what is actually so big about hitting the '30'?
i remember as a teenager my confusion when people used to talk about turning 16. all those adjectives sweet 16 and all-- they never made any sense to me...i turned 16, sour and akward like any teenager and then i turned 17... never realising what all the hullaboo was all about...maybe there was something wrong about my understanding... my curiousity about sweet 16 continues...
now i am again at this kind of age...'the 30'...an age which has been so talked about and discussed...but this time i must say i am more prepared...this time round i am not confused and clueless trying to understand the essence of my age and its significance in my life...this time i know i am 30 and know what are the things that are supposed to make me sad and depressed!

i know society regards 30 as the ‘age’. At this age you are supposed to have settled down and made your life. Now what does it mean? Well as far as I can understand this settling down means having a great job which gives you immense satisfaction as well pays great, so much so that you can actually pay a stackful of tax; have a devoted, handsome and rich husband someone who is better and smarter than you, who earns more than you, is ready to share it but not have any superiority complexes about it…someone who respects you and treats you very well and gives due attention to you and understands and plots for your career…in a nutshell not a man but a superman;...a good house…maybe whose down payment is already done and taken care of;…money to shop as and when you want;…travel as much for work as for pleasure…

I am 30… and i wouldnt like to analyse my situation vis a vis my age…. cos my life lacks all the things that i mentioned above...so the options open to me are--

i) be a sad and depressed 30 year old...

ii) be an optimistic 30 year old who often doubts all the optimism...

iii) be a happy 30 year old inspite of everything...
now which one do i be?

p.s. i have a question...is 30 equally important for men?