Thoughts On Almost 50

In a few weeks, I will turn 50! I am not one to make a big deal over my birthday, mostly due to the fact I don't enjoy being the center of attention. This one is a big one though and I thought it a good time to reflect on some things I know after 50 blessed years on earth.

~Turning 50 is a privilege. Not everyone reaches this milestone. I am embracing this birthday with every ounce of my being.

~People have different opinions, values, ideas, and lives, and that is absolutely fine. People should simply live their lives and be happy. Judgment and criticism are wastes of time and energy.

~ Turning 50 is freeing! It brings empowerment and confidence. Gone are the days of fretting about what other people think. Who cares? It's my life and I can live it the way I choose.

~Material things are just that. Things. The need to be surrounded by things is replaced by the desire for simplicity and calm. I want less time with stuff and more time with people, nature, and myself.

~Coffee is good. Coffee is amazing. When my parents asked me to get them another cup of coffee, they were secretly sharing the secret of life. Hot coffee. And lots of it.

~Physical activity may suddenly result in random aches and pains that were not present before. All those commercials for pain medicine and ointments that I once ignored are suddenly relevant and make much more sense.

~People should have puppies. Even people who don't like dogs should have their own puppy to snuggle and to love. Puppies love you. They don't care if you look like a hot mess, or if you don't know what the heck you are doing, or if you eat an entire bag of chips. They just love you.

~Life is a gift. It is beautiful, exciting, fulfilling, confusing, stressful, happy, sad, joyous, exhausting, and fun. In the grand scheme of things, my life here is but a minuscule piece of thread in the massive quilt of mankind. But it is significant in the lives of the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren who live long after I am gone. And that is pretty neat!

Have a great Monday, my friends!

Thanks for visiting.