Thirty-Nine + Numero Uno
Five things I’ve learned
1. Forty follows thirty-nine. Just as seven follows six and five follows four. (Hang in there, it’ll get better.) Each year builds on the foundation of the previous and moves ahead at an increasing rate. We’re always setting the stage. With this in mind I’m grateful for the discipline and do-the-right-thing and have-fun and go-get-’em approach that was instilled early and is cultivated daily. I’m attempting to give my kids the same. The math is easy; the benefits are exponential.
2. Some days are bigger than others. They’re the days when the person you’ve always hoped to meet enters your life, when the game is on, when you’re surprised and energized and true-to-the-marrow happy all at the same time, when the lights are up, when the candles exceed your VO2 max, when you see in your kids every dream you ever dreamed. Any day can be great, but not every day is equal. When those big days come along, be aware of their importance and seize them for all they’re worth.
3. There are four great gifts I’m exceedingly thankful for: my wife, my kids, my friends, and my family. All keep me young and active. I’ll continue relying on them for more of the same — and reaching out with all I have.
4. Love is the answer. You’ve gotta love it. Your work, your play, your family, your hobbies; the effort, the journey, the sacrifice, the achievement. When you know how love feels, you’ll never want anything different. It’s the ultimate blessing: keep it lit.
5. We are our stories and our stories are us. Make them count. Capture and share them any way you can. Be optimistic and confident, create your own breaks and I’m convinced your epic will follow. I’m still writing mine.
This will likely be my last note for awhile. I’ll be back (perhaps with a revised list), but first I’ve got a new mountain to climb. Should be fun.
Onward.
