The "F" Word...

This is an extremely emotional blog to write.  At 7:11am Central time on Saturday, July 20.   I officially entered my forties.  The day— entire weekend, actually— taught me lots of lessons about several “F” words.   I learned the meanings of Family, Forty, Future.

FAMILY:  I have learned in a very real way that “family” is not truly defined by DNA.  Family is most accurately defined by love, commonality and choice.   I saw, vibrantly, in living color, the shining examples of this over the weekend.    I am blessed to have had two other “F words” surrounding me this weekend—Fifteen Friends. These fifteen friends gathered for dinner Saturday night to mark this milestone birthday with me.  Some traveled literally just down the street, while others traveled six hours to be with me.   Each friend who came represents a different stage in my life from high school through current day.   Some watched as I struggled to come to grips with myself, some have been part of my work life, my religious conversion, and some are part of my present day.   Regardless of how these friendships developed, they all share a commonality, and that is, that these are people who know me well and love me, and are, on some level, involved in my daily life.  That is why they were chosen to be there with me.   As I have written, I don’t have a lot of contact with my family of origin, with the exception of a few cousins.  That’s why my family of choice is so important to me.  Having celebrated my 40^th birthday with these people is worth more than any amount of money.   The most important thing in my life isn’t a thing at all—it is people.  It’s people who love me, care about me and would drop everything for me at a moment’s notice.  If I learned nothing else this weekend, I learned in a very real way that I am loved.

  

FORTY: I never fretted turning 40.  I’m excited about entering this new decade of my life, and let’s face it—there’s only one way to assure we don’t face 40—and that’s to not be alive.   And, so, I embraced it.   And, in embracing it, I found much joy in reminiscing, looking forward and behind at my life.   I believe the past-with its mistakes, its successes and everything in between, lead me to the life I have today.  Age is a state of mind.   I really believe that the best is yet to come as I settle into this new decade of life.

FUTURE:  Not a single one of us is promised tomorrow. We just aren’t.   But, as far as I can see, the future is bright.  It’s a clean slate, and I’m working on making small goals, and getting ready to achieve them.  Answering the important questions I have for myself is my main goal.  

Here’s my confession:  My 40^th Birthday was absolutely one of the best days of my life.   I was surrounded by my closest friends, and, if never before, that very night I found that night that I have so many people who truly love me. I’ve learned that I am a very blessed man.   The past 40 posts have been an incredible experience in writing, and reposting some of my favorite blogs have been as much of a journey for me to know myself better, as it has also been for several people.

Thank you for reading, and please  check back for more posts coming up.   I’ve found a few new series I would like to be explore.   Keept checking for it.