Other than the realization that 48 is the last year the first digit of my age will be half the second digit and that it's the only time in my life that my age is twice the number of hours in the day, here are a few insights and realizations from turning 48.
My daughter wrote me my 2 page birthday gift that we’ve been doing for years. It’s so uplifting to read how the things she values most in me and told me she wants in a husband are some of the things I love most about myself and others (open minded, affectionate, not taking things too seriously, confidence, laughter, patient listener).
She also mentioned how I live life knowing there’s a solution…hmmm, that probably sounds familiar to some of my peeps…
My girlfriend wrote a beautiful card to me in a language that we both understand that touched me deeply. We are together because we work at it and the work has meaning and purpose and there’s more work for both of us ahead, together.
I think the sweetest reward of both pieces is that they both really see me for who I am and want to be. There’s plenty of time to focus on what I have to work on and it reminded me to spend more time celebrating what I’ve cultivated.
The most important relationship I will develop for the rest of my life will be with the version of God I believe in. These last several years that relationship has grown and it provides me an increasing capacity to ride the ups and downs of life.
There is a direct relationship between the quality of that relationship and my willingness to take risks. Oddly, I’m committed to taking more, not less, risks in the future.
I’m feeling more balanced even as I laugh and cry harder in life than I ever have. It’s weird to simultaneously have perspective and full access to feelings.
I can’t explain why and it became crystal clear that my life pivoted and I’m here to be of service. That’s one of the major points of life and I don’t get that if I don’t live that life.
And by the way, in my world, sometimes asking for help and honestly sharing with someone what’s up with me is a tremendous service to that person, it gives them an opportunity to serve.
How much better would we all be if we just asked for help when we needed it? It’s a perplexing part of the human condition that it’s not easy for so many of us.
While my tolerance for bs is decreasing, my patience for listening through hurt and wounds is increasing.
I’ve realized there is often a direct relationship between how pissed off I get and how unaware I am of an undesirable behavior being accurately called out by someone else.
Writing comes easy and I’m repeatedly astonished at how my writing touches people. How many times am I going to realize that and not actually do something about it??
I WILL DO A STAND UP COMEDY SHOW THIS YEAR!!!!
I am genuinely grateful for how many people I am actually and really connected with on Facebook. The times we have leaned on each other or shared and celebrated something more easily because we’re still connected here to me is the spiritual payoff of a multi-billion dollar idea. It’s the little and big interactions we have here that make it worthwhile.
I day dream of getting a group of people who I've known throughout my life together for a weekend to just hang out and dream, perform, laugh, cry, hope, breathe, rock out whatever. Sort of like the last scene in Big Fish except I wouldn’t be dead and it wouldn’t be about me. I would just be the last degree of separation for everyone there.
Wanna come?