Today I turn 60. And although I’ve truly not been thinking about that too much I guess something subliminal is going on that needs my attention.
Kris feels bad because she wants to do something special to celebrate this birthday and I, in turn, feel bad because I’ve been telling her that it’s no big deal. So without coming across as a curmudgeon I’m trying to help her get some satisfaction in this moment by agreeing to letting her take me out for pizza and a couple of beers tonight. Wild and crazy, huh?
I don’t deny that turning 60 is considered a bit of a milestone in society and I guess it should be seen as an accomplishment of sorts. You know it wasn’t really that long ago that reaching the Big Six O was a big deal due to shorter life expectancies. Now days the implication is this is the age a person can start thinking seriously about retirement and loosening up a little the screws that have been tightening for the past few decades as family, work and accumulation reached their peaks. You know, turning 60 is seen as a time to slow down, kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor sort of thing.
Well, I guess I don’t see it in that light which is probably why I’m not as excited as others expect me to be. Instead of slowing down, taking stock and shopping for a hammock and slippers I am, instead, gearing up and getting ready to hit the starting blocks on a new race. Granted, because of my age, this might be one of my last races but none-the-less I’m looking forward to running it.
More writing, more travel, more trying of new things, maybe a tune-up to the looks and some other as-yet-unknown-shakeups. Those are just a few of the things I’m looking forward to as I move into my seventh decade. No looking back. Not yet; only onward and upward for now.
Now that’s worth celebrating. So I say bring on the pizza and beer.