Turning 50

Turning 50 –

By the time I publish this post I will have hit a milestone. An age that when I was a a kid, I thought was the age men walked with walking canes or had combovers or spent the day in the park feeding pigeons. Fifty, the big 5-0, 1/2 century mark. Wow…that came fast.

In the past 50 years I have had some amazing highs and upsetting lows. Financial successes and plenty of financial disasters.  But I am still alive.  I am healthy.  I don’t take any medications.  I have a loving family.  I live in an amazing place and I have been able to travel the world.  (Traveling, by the way, will only get more frequent since our family motto has been, “Once a year go someplace you have never been.”  We have been able to do this every year!) – Grateful for this.

What I have I learned in my old age.  Well…I guess that you need to be you.  Be your true self.  Hang around with the people that make you better and if there is no one…just be alone for a while. Give your kids the slack to fail…but remind them that you are still there to support, help and guide. Be the best companion to your partner and light up by their successes!  Always support and encourage others.

I have not always been a grateful and giving person like I am now. I think road blocks and disasters in your life cause you to move left and then right to allow you the opportunity to reevaluate your life.  I am completely grateful for my life.  My family. My wife. My kids. My friends.  This is something that I believe my mother tried teaching me (before being taken by Cancer, ten years ago.)  I just didn’t understand it then, but boy do I know.  Even what my father has taught me, and continues to teach he even even living over 3,000 miles away, I continue to use!  I am also grateful for my past employer and current employer who have given me some amazing opportunities.  I am grateful to S.A. for giving me my first opportunity at age 19.  Who would have expected that that one opportunity would grow into a 20 year + career from making $5 / hour to becoming the Executive Vice President of a company that would end up performing $100M / year around the U.S.  And then to N.F., who also gave me an opportunity once I moved to Bermuda.  When the recession hit in Bermuda I needed to make a major change…and she was there to offer me the opportunity.  6 years and counting, this has been a great opportunity and job!  I look forward to the next several years.

I am always reevaluating my life but I guess more now that I am 50, married for 21+ years and have 2 boys quickly becoming adults.  I feel that I am not only turning another year older but another year wiser. I have another year to be grateful for and another to pursue my dreams, passions and enjoy the adventure that comes with them. I have done so much in my life and yet there are so many things I have yet to do.  There are still items on my life list to tick off, and many new things that I have yet to add.  Life is the greatest adventure and I thank whoever the powers are for giving me another year to love & appreciate it.  Since starting my first Relay For Life of Bermuda Cancer Fundraiser in 2014, I cannot wait to celebrate a birthday.  I will never hide my age.  I am grateful to have another year to experience life.  I have seen too many that have had their lives taken too early.

Between 40 and now, I kept asking myself when are we considered old?  Of course our kids have always thought we were old.  But what about to others?  My wife once told me that age depends on the people we hang around with.  If that is the case, I should be good.  Living in Bermuda I consider myself lucky and blessed to have some great friends….who range in age from their mid 20’s to mid 60’s.  Social media has allowed me to also meet some amazing people from around the world.  Those people have now become part of my life and I look forward to catching up with them when ever the opportunity arrises.  I know that technology has its cons, but it sure as hell has to pros.

Today….I will embrace where I am in my life, feel grateful for what I have and where I live and know that with each year…life will continue to get better.  Today I get to wake up on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and see, smell and hear the ocean…from my front door.  I get to watch the Bermuda Longtails in front of our home chirping to each other (the way only longtails do).  I get to fall asleep by the sound of the tree frogs.   I get to see my boys grow and mature and become adults (still not sure they are ready to be an adult, but that is all part of becoming an adult.)  I get to watch my wife follow a new passion in her life, take new risks by doing something for herself and at the same time contributing to her family and others in a big way.  I am here to support her and it makes be feel good to know that she knows that!

I know that if I squint….I can see that summer is fast approaching.  For those of you that have visited SpencerIsland, you know that I am talking about.  I am truly grateful for this life and I take none of it for granted.

“Do not regret growing older as it is a privilege denied to many.”

I have just taken a few days off to hang at home.  (Becky was in Miami at a conference for her new career…).  I am not one for taking time off, or relaxing…but these past two days, kids in school…just me and the dog (and the cats, but they have been sleeping all day…) I have been able to do things around the house on my time.   I will do this more.  I have had time to sit down, write this blog post, play the ukulele and work on a couple of projects.  As Becky said in a recent text, “…you took a few days off and your creativity is coming out to play…”  I am normally to busy to do something for me.  This will now change.

At this moment, I am in my favorite state of mind; grateful.

I feel I have so much more to say, but the day is getting away from me so I may pop down to the beach for a bit…and just sit and practice the ukulele with a rum on the rocks!

The walker, combover and old age home…can be put on hold for now.  I have plenty of amazing days, months and years ahead!

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