HBTM

Today is my birthday. I'm now 55 years old. The field I work in is relitively young - in my office I'm by far the oldest person there. When talking, as I did yesterday, with someone and describing myself as a morning person - I go to bed around 8 but I'm up at around 3 ... hours I kinda like - he looked at me and said, "My mom is like that."

How nice for your Mom. How nice that I remind you of your Mom. I'm so glad you told me.

But for all that, I like getting older. I like the fresh perspectives that I get. I like being surprised more often by the things I notice now. I like how I am less easy to trick and more likely to laugh at the attempt. I like not caring about things that used to worry me and caring about things that I used to hold in contempt.

I like believing that what we do and say makes a real difference.

I like knowing that we each affect each other, we each have to power to do good.

I like feeling that the spirit of goodness can sometimes work through me.

I like understanding, now, that charity can be given without pity.

I like taking responsibility for my actions - and knowing apologies are only the first step.

I like laughing at what would have made me cry before.

I like having the courage to say what I think and the desire to call those who demean others to task.

I like the sudden feeling of smallness and inadequacy and embarrassment when someone thanks me for the effect my work has had on them.

I like being 55 and not feeling done ... not feeling the desire to rest from the mission.

I like wanting to get up and go back at it because there is more to do.

I like the fact that while my body has sagged and my hair abandoned ship and my chin multiplied while my height subtracted - I like that out of this aging, crippled body, comes fresh ideas, brand new purpose, and the capacity to have waking visions of how it can be.

I like the fact that my heart - recycles old hurts into new love - it's been doing that for awhile now.

So, today is my birthday. Lunch with friends - see the doctor - dinner and movie with friends - go to bed early. A nice day looms.