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On turning 36 this week
An old friend asked me yesterday, "How does it feel to be turning 36?" I was reminded of a book I read as a teenager, Tuesdays with Morrie, a memoir about a student who has a series of conversations with his former college professor, Morrie Schwartz. Morrie is dying of ALS. There's one scene that has always stayed with me. On one of the visits, the student asks Morrie about aging and whether he is envious of the young. To paraphrase, Morrie responds, "Most people spend most of their lives wishing they were a different age than they are. The young wish they were older. The old wish they were younger. And with all of this wishing, they miss out on being the age that they are right now - what's happening in this moment." I had my time to be 3, 15, 23, 30 - and all the ups and downs that came with those years. I like to think that I did the best I could with what I had. Every experience has contributed to exactly who I am right now and led me here. The last year of being 35 has been one of the most surreal, ridiculous, incredible, trying, and magical years of my life. As I look back, I am in awe of what an adventure it's been! Aging is not just decay…it’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you understand that you’re going to die, and that you live a better life because of it. Now, with two days left, I salute age 35 with an open heart, deep gratitude, and a sense of wonder. I look forward with an enthusiastic curiosity about what the next year has in store — for me, my loved ones, and the new people who will come into my life.
The truth is, I'm more excited about being 36 than I've ever been. I can't wait to see what unfolds. 2021 |