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45 and the Mid-Life Brisk Walk
I recently turned 45, officially entering “mid-life territory,” as I was gently reminded. Although hearing this non-disputable truth gave my ego a bit of a sting, my soul had known for years that mid-life was upon me. We, adults, are not too different from children. I don’t know how often I must remind my boys to clean up their trash from the basement or put their clothes in their rooms. Or my favorite, “The dishwasher is dirty; why don’t you throw your bowl in there while you’re at it…thank you very much.” We all know the saying if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times. We…
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Perfectly Average
Without a doubt, being a parent is one of the most rewarding and challenging vocations. Every parent knows this. This certainly isn’t anything new. It truly is self-giving. This is probably why it is so rewarding: because it isn’t about you at the end of the day. As parents, we certainly get our daily reminders of that. (The once-a-month slight nods of appreciation from our kids before returning to being unable to put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher, WHAT IS THAT!!) I recently talked with some parents about our kids being average. I remember the look on their faces as if I called my son a bad word or…
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Age of Wisdom
There seems to be great freedom that comes with age. A year ago, I read an article suggesting that those in their 60s and 70s were the most content and happy. This is fascinating. I remember a gentleman walking the neighborhood around my boy’s school. I would always notice him and watch him. In some ways, I marveled at the possibility of being like him one day. He was always alone and walked at a very slow pace with his cane and cigar. He never said a word; instead, he just observed. Plus, he had a very cool hat that he would wear during the colder months. What was it…
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Turning the Big 4-0
They say that when you turn 40, you enter a new stage of life where you begin to see things more thoroughly—or, better put, as they are rather than as you want them to be. Ideology and theory become less of a focus, and the messiness of life becomes more of a comfortable norm. Maybe it is about being content within the “grey” areas of our lives, where we seem better suited to hold two opposing things together without discounting either. This has undoubtedly been the case for me as I reflect upon the immense beauty and suffering in my own life. Both of these are constantly present, but when…
