Reflections on half a century
Today, I reached the half century mark. That's right, I'm officially 50 years old. That doesn't even sound right. I certainly don't feel 50. Hopefully, I don't look like I've been around that long either. But, like it or not, here I am.
As I was driving to work this morning, I started to ask the question that I'm sure many others have asked before me. Why am I not further along than this? It is a hard question to think about and requires some real reflection. But, before I start to beat myself up, I really need to look at what has been accomplished, not what hasn't. So, in a nutshell, over the last 50 years, I've:
* worked as a retail salesman, construction worker, radio DJ, newspaper reporter, restaurant manager, safety engineer, youth minister, project coordinator, teacher, and school administrator, to name a few areas.
* visited 10 different countries: Mexico, Zimbabwe, Comoros, Great Britain, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Israel and the West Bank.
* lived and worked internationally.
* earned three college degrees (Associates, Bachelors, and Masters)
* earned each of these degrees with no debt
* started following Jesus Christ at the age of 23 and led many others to do the same
* married the most beautiful, kind, loving woman on the planet (see Twenty Amazing Years)
* raised a son (to age 13, so far)
* been ordained as a deacon in the church
* bought a house
* had more pleasurable moments than one man deserves
In that 50 years, I've also:
* made numerous mistakes (none of which killed me, I'm glad to say)
* been homeless and lived in my car as well as the YMCA (I used to hum the song every day as I walked to my dorm room)
* overcome several addictions (or at least I work on them day by day)
* held my father's hand as he passed from this world to the next (see Tribute to my father)
* made numerous friends (and probably a few enemies)
* learned more than one man deserves.
So, looking back, it's been a pretty good life so far. Better than I deserve, anyway. Now, though, I get the chance to look ahead and realize that, while the last 50 years have been good, I can't wait to see what the next 50 brings.
As I was driving to work this morning, I started to ask the question that I'm sure many others have asked before me. Why am I not further along than this? It is a hard question to think about and requires some real reflection. But, before I start to beat myself up, I really need to look at what has been accomplished, not what hasn't. So, in a nutshell, over the last 50 years, I've:
* worked as a retail salesman, construction worker, radio DJ, newspaper reporter, restaurant manager, safety engineer, youth minister, project coordinator, teacher, and school administrator, to name a few areas.
* visited 10 different countries: Mexico, Zimbabwe, Comoros, Great Britain, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Israel and the West Bank.
* lived and worked internationally.
* earned three college degrees (Associates, Bachelors, and Masters)
* earned each of these degrees with no debt
* started following Jesus Christ at the age of 23 and led many others to do the same
* married the most beautiful, kind, loving woman on the planet (see Twenty Amazing Years)
* raised a son (to age 13, so far)
* been ordained as a deacon in the church
* bought a house
* had more pleasurable moments than one man deserves
In that 50 years, I've also:
* made numerous mistakes (none of which killed me, I'm glad to say)
* been homeless and lived in my car as well as the YMCA (I used to hum the song every day as I walked to my dorm room)
* overcome several addictions (or at least I work on them day by day)
* held my father's hand as he passed from this world to the next (see Tribute to my father)
* made numerous friends (and probably a few enemies)
* learned more than one man deserves.
So, looking back, it's been a pretty good life so far. Better than I deserve, anyway. Now, though, I get the chance to look ahead and realize that, while the last 50 years have been good, I can't wait to see what the next 50 brings.
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