This last week of 2008 is the week I turned 40 years old. The big four oh. Middle aged. For those of you who have met me, I know I know, I don’t look a day over 50 and you thought I was well over 40. That’s what cheap drugs, boozing and carousing and going to dozens of Grateful Dead shows in your youth will get you!!
I wanted to post today about “What I learned in my first forty years” but it is simply impossible to write down that much useless trivia, so I am going to try to stick to the useful points.
From birth to age 10 I learned that I should laugh.
Laugh like you never laughed before. Laugh at jokes, laugh at TV shows, laugh at silly things, laugh at not so silly things. laugh off mistakes (but fix them), laugh with friends…heck laugh AT friends if it’s not in bad taste. Laughing makes you feel good, and seeing someone laugh makes others feel good. And we all need more of that in life.
From age 10 to age 20 I learned that I should live for the now.
I read a story once and can’t remember who wrote it but I will paraphrase. When I was a kid, I thought to myself that life will begin when I can drive. Then I got my driver’s license and thought that life would begin once I got out of high school. Then I graduated and thought that life will begin once I graduate from university and get a job that pays. Then I graduated and got a job that pays and thought life would really begin when I got married and moved out of my parents home. Then I got married and moved out of my parents home and thought life will really begin when I have bought my first home.. etc etc. So life for the now. Life will not start when you get to a certain place in your life. Life is NOW so live it NOW.
From age 20 to age 30 I learned that I should stay organized.
No one is perfect at keeping track of dates, but the best way you can do this is to get a PDA that synchs with your PC and enter every birthday, anniversary, child’s school recitals, plays, sporting events, etc. and use the repeating function where necessary. The tool is there so use it. When I first plugged in my anniversary to remind me 7 days before to buy my wife a gift it asked me for how many years should I repeat this reminder. I put in 100, because whoa is me the 21st year should I put in 20. Birthdays are important not only for family and close friends but for distant friends, customers, co-workers, etc. It only takes a moment to drop someone a note to say Happy Birthday. It will help ways too many to count but I will list a couple. a) you have a built in reason to stay in touch, b) you may just need that friend or their advice one day and depending on their profession, that may really be valuable, c) successs is measured by how many friends you have made, not how many dollars you have made.
From age 30 to age 40 I learned that I should pay attention.
It was in these years that I got married and discovered immediately that things that were not important to me were important to my wife. It was also in these years that I discovered that things that were not important to others (mostly politicians and corporations) were very important to me. If you don’t pay attention they raise your taxes on you. If you don’t pay attention you miss what your spouse is saying. If you don’t pay attention, you lose out on that funny comment your child might say that put’s a smile on your face. And finally, as per the OfficiallyScrewed.com slogan “You either pay attention or pay through the nose…I would rather pay attention.”
I’m sure I have learned many other things and I will think of them the second I submit this, but they will just have to wait.
May you all have a safe and prosperous 2009.
