Thu
Sep
24
Today is my birthday. I am 50 years old as of today. 50 seems old to me although I do not feel old. My Dad informs me that it is not all down hill from here but that 50 is merely a scenic overlook on the journey.
It seems appropriate at this milestone to do a quick sanity check to see if I have been paying attention at all for the last half century and what I may have learned so far. Here is what I think I know at this point in my life:
- I am the only one who can determine what is meaningful in my life. It is up to me to live my life so that it has meaning.
- I am most fulfilled when I am giving to others.
- What I think, say, and do changes the world each day in very subtle ways. It is my choice to determine whether or not that change is for the good.
- The only thing that I can control is what I think, say, and do in the present moment. I can not control the perceptions or actions of others. I can not control most of the events that impact my life. I am responsible for how I choose to respond in each moment.
- Faith is essential. Faith that we are loved by someone larger than ourselves. Faith that our existence is not confined to the experience of this lifetime. Faith that what we think, say, and do in any given moment - in EVERY given moment - matters and changes the world in ways that we can not appreciate at the time.
- Religion is not an essential prerequisite to Faith. At its best, religion can provide a metaphorical map of the terrain to help guide our spiritual journey. At its worst, religious dogma can impede spiritual growth by constraining “truth” to someone else’s interpretation of what is meaningful. Many of the people I know with the most inspired Faith are not religious.
- Financial metrics are a terrible way to measure a person’s true worth.
So… given the vague lessons learned so far, here is what I hope to do better with my next 50 years:
- Focus more on giving than achieving
- Focus more on the present than the future
- Focus more on sharing my experiences and learning from the experiences of others.
- Do whatever I can to inspire a global stewardship ethic
I am looking forward to the next 50!
Fri
Aug
28
We took sons Ned and Dylan to University of Maine at Orono today. Both fine young men that I am very proud of. I am very excited for them for the year that is ahead, but I am missing them a lot tonight.
