Tomorrow, I’ll be 40 years old. That’s as close to 50 as I’ve ever been in my life. So it’s got me thinking about a few nuggets of wisdom I’ve accumulated. Allow me to share a few:
Try something new --- If you dread doing things that take you out of your comfort zone, ie: traveling, eating new food, exercising, meeting new people – that’s a signal that you must do them. I have found that more often than not, the activities or experiences that I think will make me uncomfortable turn out to be just fine – even enjoyable.
Meet your demons --- Like most people, I have personal demons who inhabit my subconscious mind. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know them on a first name basis.
First there’s Argok – the Lazy. He’s a smug, fat, slovenly demon who tells me to stay in my comfort zone and not try anything new. Argok constantly reminds me that I’m pretty cool the way I am and don’t have to worry about improving myself.
Then there’s Grakeziel – the Seductress. She’s the demon who compels me to seek instant gratification and generally messes with my self-discipline. She whispers to me when I’m hungry, “One little New York slice of pepperoni pizza isn’t going kill ya.”
And there’s Sharshamel the Timid. He’s a cowardly demon that pushes me away from conflict. His mantra is: “If you make people mad at you, they won’t like you anymore.”
Do you have demons like these?
Accept the randomness of the universe --- Shit really does ‘just happen.’ And any attempts to explain or rationalize why that’s the case are futile. Holding a lucky rabbit’s foot, or four-leaf clover is just as good of protection against calamity as is a cross. Bad things happen to people to who pray several times a day; who abstain from liquor; sex and all manner of vices; who volunteer their time to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.
So do all that if you want to, but don’t expect that’s going to keep you from getting eyeball cancer, or stop an anvil from falling on your sister or from your house from being destroyed by a rabid beaver infestation or some other awful act of nature.
The universe is random and mysterious and scary and wonderful.
Maybe in another 40 years, I’ll figure it out.
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4 comments:
Word.
Look, 40 is huge, and the theme of your birthday post is spot on ... by 40, we've accumulated enough life experience to know where we screwed up, why we screwed up, and how to make life better for ourselves and those around us. By 40, we achieve a certain awareness of ourselves, and should be confident to live with our weaknesses and progress via our strengths.
Also, by 40, we have passed the midpoint of our lives, at least via current life expectancy measures. But rather than this realization serving as a catalyst for a headlong plunge into a midlife crisis, we should look down the other side of the mountain with the same anticipation you get at the top of the roller coaster ... and we should remind ourselves to cherish that which remains of our lives: love a little harder, laugh a little louder, listen a little more closely, exercise a little more, drink a lot more, and not take ourselves, our beliefs, and our biases so damn seriously. And most importantly, we must care for our children and our future unborn generations with the community stewardship humanity so badly needs to survive peacefully on this planet.
Happy Birthday Brandt ... let's start on all of the above tomorrow!!!
Love ya man, Nate.
those sound like some great words to live by. Excellent post, good sir.
Happy belated, Mr. B.
I know you and the missus will whoop it up properly.
Happy belated, Mr. B.
I know you and the missus will whoop it up properly.
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