Today, I am turning F—ing Fifty-Five years old!

That’s how I’ve been saying it – F—ing Fifty-Five years old!

It just sounds better that way. Sort of fierce. Sort of fun. Sort of frickin’ fantastic!

What’s funny, is my good friend, nameless she will be, said it the same way without knowing.

“You are turning F—ing 55 years old!”

I like it. It fits me. It’s a good title, and I have tried on many titles. But it feels in many ways that I have come full circle.

I am Marianne Lile and I am f—ing fifty-five years old!

I ran into an old neighbor who lived across the street from us when I was young. His dad had died, and I had taken my mom, to remember and reminisce. I had not seen this neighbor in years. He told us the story, of when his family had first driven into the driveway of their new home, fifty some years ago, he had looked across the street and heard kids playing, i.e. my brothers, sister and me. As he told the story he smiled as he recounted from around the corner came a little girl running free – literally – naked, laughing and sprinting around and around her house. That little girl was me.
I laughed at that story. And I remembered running around that old red house. Naked was my preferred option. Laughing. Looking up at the sky. Running.

Looking back, those experiences tend to get lost. Caught up in the fine details of living a life. But, I am committed to bringing them back this year. It’s time.

It’s time to fight too. Time to get off my duff and fight for the fairness and freedoms that are being threatened. I might just get a little feisty.

Just look at those “F” words. Fierce. Fun. Fantastic. Funny. Fits. Feels. Full. Fight. Fairness. Freedom. Fiesty.

So, fifty-five sounds kick ass. Ready for the dance floor. Ready to bring my friends and family to my dining table to eat food, drink what they want to, and to laugh. Maybe, even ready to run around my house naked!

Because I am F—ing Fifty-Five years old!