Birthdays: It’s Still a Wonderful Life

“The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.”                                                    Madeleine L’Engle

Belated birthday thoughts

On turning 65, because Medicare is now in my picture, it feels as if I have crossed the threshold to senior status. Earned my life education diploma.

Own the number, I tell myself. It’s just a number. Go through this portal (door) or be done!

Since I’m still here, God is not finished with me. Yet. Time to reflect on lessons I have learned.

Time to share with others the wonderful, yet imperfect life I have lived.

First grade, Ventura, CA––The girl on the front row with arms crossed is me. Unlike everyone else––who put their hands in their laps––I may or may not have followed instructions. A contrarian early on.

“Life is the best teacher.”

I have accumulated lots of information and a good deal of knowledge in the 65 years I have inhabited planet earth. By formal education, a lot. By experience, a lot more. From my mistakes and the mistakes of others, most of what actually shapes and influences my everyday life instructs and keeps me learning.

Paying attention to the consequences other people experience as well as my own hard-won lessons, I can learn some things as if my life depends on it. Because sometimes it does.

In part, what motivates me to teach, to use my voice, and to write is believing other people may benefit from my experiences too.

Life has taught me that mistakes have value often beyond getting so-called right answers. Mistakes are part of the learning process. Red pencil marks on tests and papers got my attention. The stuff I already knew didn’t need correction.

“Fail often and fail early,” one of the Pixar creators says.

Failing early allows for faster course correction, and if there is one thing I have learned, life requires constant course correction. No straight-arrow path through this life.

The only way to avoid making mistakes is to do nothing. Know nothing. Risk nothing.

Life itself involves risk. The risk of pain. Heartache. Misunderstanding. Rejection. Loss.

But also the risk that you will miss the beautiful, the true, the enduring blessings in life.

Each birthday, I pause and reflect, purposing in my heart not to lament the passing of time or the number of birthdays behind me or take for granted even a single day of ordinary life as I live it.

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One Comment

  • Sheridan Harnly

    If only I could express truths as beautifully as you ! Still, I had a “giggle” (as you probably knew I would). C.S. Lewis said, “what you see depends on where you are standing and what your experiences are…” I thought 60 and 70 were my significant years and that 65 was only in between—smile. Having you in my life and the opportunity to “glean” from your wisdom & experiences is such a blessing to me and I can only hope & encourage others to “read on” and be blessed as well. Many of my own potential for mistakes have been lessened because of your “teachings” that have come through such a valuable friendship. Love you.

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