Young

Yesterday was the Fourth of July.  Best known as five days before my birthday.  I will be 45 on July 9th.  At 7:07am and one-second that day, I will be closer to age fifty than forty.  I remember as a kid thinking people in their thirties were really old.  I’m practically fiddy!!  She-ite. 

I’ve never really cared about my age but I admit that when I think about it now, I feel a little bit like wearing a ratty white undershirt, black dress socks and shorts.   I already do crossword puzzles and like to read the newspaper.  I find myself eating meals earlier and earlier and used to think it was because I have little kids.  Holy crap, I’m making my boys do early-bird dinner on a regular basis!

The funny thing is I feel like life is still so young.   Part of that is due to having boys in elementary school.  They are a nice excuse to behave down to their level.  More often than not they are trying to manage and discipline me rather than me keeping them in line.  I can’t help it.  Farting on their heads is damn funny.

I think life still feels young for lots of other reasons too.  My divorce is still fairly new.  I only moved out around three years ago.  And I finally settled into my house of the long-term future two months ago.  That was the last big divorce transition to put behind me. 

Besides the Fourth of July being well known for being five days before my birthday, it isn’t as well known for being three days before the anniversary of starting my company.  My biz will be sweet sixteen on July 7^th.   That makes me feel old –having a company in the middle of teen years that wants to be independent of me and run off on it’s own.  Wait, that is good.  I’d love to let my baby go.  Maybe that is why I feel young in the business world.  I keep thinking about what I can do next while the company pretty much runs by itself, at least in terms of day-to-day operations.

Life is young because I’m staying active.  Playing basketball once a week is my meditation, my energy release and energy builder.  Racquetball keeps my heart rate going too.  I’m lucky that my body isn’t breaking down and I’m able to push it whenever I want. 

Life is young because I say yes all the time.  Whether it’s agreeing to go on a trip the day before the trip, committing to Burning Man, crashing a party or trying something new, I always err to the adventure side of things.  It’s a good way to live.  Open minded and in the moment.

Other things that keep me young are music, games, sweets, my bike, laughing and my positive attitude.

Okay, get this.  I had no idea where I was going with this blog post – I really didn’t.  But now I know.  I just got a phone call from one of our vendors (an advertising sales rep).  They invited me to an all expenses paid trip to Dublin.  I am admittedly a fill-in for a big national client that bailed so they asked me because I’m quote, “Fun and likely to do things like this last second.”  It’s July 19^th-23^rd and I’m gonna do it.

Young in the heart, mind and soul.  And always ready to say yes.