Winter is finally here in Calgary, and it's a beautiful winter wonderland. I always love the beginning of every season, it's why I couldn't imagine living elsewhere....although I envision warmer climates every once in a while may be good for the soul.
The other day I walked by a mirror and was kinda surprised at how old I looked. And it made me happy.
Happy in part because I have reached an age where I really don't care too much about holding on to my youth or living in my past. There was a time when it was very important to me to be young and vibrant and in the scene. I loved being at the forefront of technology, fashion, music and other cultural activities. I still love it, but the love is more pure and honest than it used to be.
I have always looked young for my age and I often used it to my advantage, especially when sitting in a tense meeting across from some old fart that thought they had years of experience on me. Typically they thought they could take advantage of me in a deal or pull wool over my eyes. But more often than not it allowed me to mess with them as I most likely had more experience than they did but didn't have to play their games.
But I digress.
What I really enjoy now is working from a position of experience and helping others by guiding them through their journeys. And with this comes an acceptance of my age. Now don't get me wrong, I am still immature for my age and I don't plan on changing that attitude. But I am more comfortable with being close to 54 than I ever have before.
But since I have grown this silver beard I have certainly added a few years to my visage. You see, now that I have the beard, and since I have kinda started being more philosophical I have come to the realization that I kinda like looking older. And to be really frank, I can't wait till I look older than dirt.
People fight too hard to hold on to the past, or living in the past. I'm thriving in the now and relish in the thought of wrinkling my way into the future for a long time. And I plan on facing so many suns that I will be wrinklier than the shirts I leave stacked up in the laundry for way too long.
I will beam when you call me a wrinkly ol bastard. But wait for a few years, for now just call me a bastard if you don't mind.
I want to be old, and wise and have grandkids surrounding me calling me old fashioned! Maybe they can even join me in complaining about the government. That's the old I am embracing.
All that being said. The true sentence I follow is that it's not the number of years in your life, but the life in your years. I have stacked more than my fair share of love, adventure and memories in to one life.
And each year they continue to get better and better.
