Aging Gracefully

It happens every second of life, you get older and change.  It took awhile for me to feel older, until I realized my sons were aging too.  Their high school years, however, accelerated things quicker than I wanted,  thank God they went off to college.   Aging changes you physically, mentally, and spiritually; but you can’t reverse it.  It’s easier to just adapt rather then fight Father Time.   I’ve gladly survived some tough issues recently, but I know the experience has sped up aging faster than my teenagers’ driving ever did.  You can’t kid yourself, just look at old photos to see time has moved on.  In spite of appearances I’m okay with aging.  Besides, your inside is more important than your outside.  People evaluate your inner core, not your hair plugs or botox treatments.  The good thing about hard challenges is they softened my perspective on life.  Early on I had a type A personality which caused a grade A ulcer senior year in high school.  The type A attitude, however, didn’t start fading until after cancer first arrived then the second bout permanently put it out to pasture.   I learned living with a persona that burns a hole in your gut is also lighting other hidden smoldering fires.  Our focus should be on the people you love building with them memories for the next generation.

I had lunch recently with a business colleague who runs a large hospital system.  We covered work as well as our own personal health challenges.  He asked how I was doing and I gave him the standard, “worse things can happen to you John”.   He looked at me with a wince, but it’s true.  If you think you’re having a bad day, just read the newspaper.   That aside, John mentioned research predicting people will be able to live well past 100, maybe even 150.  I  don’t like the idea although it gives Notre Dame more time to win another National Championship.  Even so, what meaning would it have if I couldn’t even spell football then? Or worse yet be celebrating alone?  Getting older shouldn’t be a solo sport, you need other people with you on your winding path.  All things aside, I’d rather live life to the fullest now and not rely on science to make me lonlier than Methuselah.

It’s Diane’s 60th birthday this week (month / year) and like her birthday every year there’s a high level of expectation.  It’s been a challenging week, however, screening best wishes from the White House and former presidents, but I’ve managed to keep the political infighting in check.  In her mind birthdays reflect living a full life, so she celebrates everyone’s birthdays at full tilt, even strangers.  Diane re-captures the excitement all of us once had when we were five years old blowing out candles surrounded by family and friends.  For that reason Diane blows out candles every day and not just once a year.  (Crashing kid’s birthday parties at the bowling alley is still a little embarrassing, just sayin’).  After we met she never let me veer from this standard; so together we celebrate life everyday, even on bad days.  Remember, blowing out birthday candles is not extinguishing anything; just the opposite –  it’s breathing the gift of new life into your sails.  With that in mind, I can’t thank the birthday girl enough for keeping me younger everyday.  Slainte.