Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The (not so) BIG 4-0...

40th birthday encouragement

I hit a lifetime milestone recently and turned the BIG 4-0 back on September 13th.  You know, it's the age when you're supposedly over-the-hill, your body starts hurting more, you forget things more often, and you're just generally washed up from doing things younger people can do.  I've been warned about this age for as long as I can remember.  Heck, they sell black balloons and t-shirts just for the occasion, and I can't think of any other age that's more notorious.  Maybe turning 100?  But now that I've turned 40 I'm left wondering what all the fuss was about?  Does my body hurt more?  Not really.  I remember a time about 15 years ago when I went through a period with some lower back pain, probably the worse I've ever felt.  I lost 30 pounds and it went away.  Do I forget things more often?  Not really.  I could never remember anything anyway.  My wife claims I just remember what I want to.  Well duh, who remembers what they don't want to!  Am I washed up from doing things younger people can do?  Not really.  I can still beat some some younger folks when it comes to running, playing softball, and dancing like a fool.  So, after a few weeks of being 40 and taking time to reflect on this new era, I guess I feel pretty good about life.  There are a couple quotes I like that seem to make perfect sense now:

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because he stop playing"

As a matter of fact I feel a little smarter after turning 40.  Because now I realize turning 50 might be even better yet!

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