Mar 30, 2014-- Shannon Hayes, mother and homemaker on a family farm, used to spend birthdays mourning the passing of another year. But on her 40th she decides instead to spend the day in celebration and joy by giving herself an important gift. In this touching piece, Shannon shares how she learned that turning 40 meant being "grown-up enough, confident enough, fearless enough to face my deepest, most secret dreams and bring them out into the world," and embracing "all those forces that seemingly work against those dreams, those burdens I have chosen by the act of living and surrendering myself to those that I love." (17582 reads)