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So this is 60. While I’m not quite “bah humbug” about it, allow me to be the first to say, “Whoop-de-do.”
Truth is, birthdays quit being as much fun the moment you realize you’re closer to the end than the beginning. And also because you have kids’ and grandkids’ birthdays to remember and only have so much file space upstairs.
Babies can’t wait to be toddlers. Toddlers can’t wait to be in school. Students can’t wait to be teenagers. Teens can’t wait to turn 18, then 21. And then we turn 30 and wish it hadn’t gone by so fast.
The year I was born, The Rolling Stones expressed how “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” double negative be damned. And an obviously young band called The Who told the world, “I hope I die before I get old.”
Thing is, no one told us how old “old” is. As a teen, 30 sounded old; a 1976 science-fiction flick called Logan’s Run even depicted a dystopian feature when everyone dies on their 30th birthday. Yet, when I finally reached that age, it became clear that my teenage self was an idiot, and I had so much more to learn.
Looking back, turning 40 didn’t seem that old at all while living through it, primarily because everyone I love was still on the planet. When I hit my 50s, family and friends began to pass over to the next world, and the sad realization of how temporary life truly is on Earth set in.
I have picked up a few tips over the six decades God has seen fit to keep on this rock that might prove useful to you.
u Age is just a number – unless there’s a discount at stake. While I don’t feel a day older than 59½, I wouldn’t mind getting an extra 10% off of lunch.
u Put down your cell every now and again. Look, I play games and scroll nonsensically on my iPhone, too, and it feeds my addiction to news. Unfortunately, the digital world can also be hateful and ugly, so if you’re going to be there make sure to get your algorithm in tune with positive things that inspire and uplift you instead of tearing people down or causing anger.
u Spend more time in the real world. It’s nice to be able to stay in touch online with people you care about and who care about you. However, the best moments in life will always be the ones you actually spend in person with them.
u Legendary N.C. State basketball coach Jim Valvano was dying of cancer when he said this during his famous 1993 ESPY speech: “To me, there are three things everyone should do every day. No. 1 is laugh. No. 2 is think – spend some time in thought. No. 3, you should have your emotions moved to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that’s a heck of a day.” He couldn’t have been more right.
u A former boss, the late-great newspaper publisher Rick Bacon, once told me, “Never miss a chance to (use the restroom).” At 35, I just laughed at his caustic sense of humor; at 60, I now know the man was being very literal.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. Call him with comments and questions at 828-837-5122 or email dbrown@cherokeescout.com.