With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come.
The Bard in Merchant of Venice
Well, I’m not exactly happy about it, but today, I start a fifth decade.
In the last 10 years, I moved from Minneapolis, MN to Lansing, MI to Louisville, KY; changed jobs around seven times; got married to a very sharp girl, who sometimes even wears sexy glasses and a ponytail; took up running again; and began raising identical twin boys.
I am not anywhere near where I’d have predicted I’d be 20 or even 10 years ago. I’m a little disappointed noticing this fact–I’d had plans–but there have been so many excellent surprises along the way, and I’ve met so many kind, clever, and amusing people, that I don’t think I’d go back and schedule a different itinerary for the trip.
I join some great friends who’ve gotten here before me, including my good pal George who turned his life-o-dometer over to 50 yesterday. And a lot of you are right behind me, so stop smirking. I’ll be holding your finisher’s medal when you break the tape.
The trail at my feet is choked with vines, roots, and low-hanging branches, obscuring the next turn. What’s behind the verdant curtain, wonder or calamity?
Either way, I have no choice. I am fueled by curiosity, and I was raised in Wisconsin. Our motto is “Forward.”