Birth Of A 'Notion'...

   On this day, today, my 58th birthday, (OMG...did I, truly, just admit that???) I cannot help but consider the issue, at hand, of aging. I can recall, from childhood, when, 'contemplating' the idea of growing older, I imagined that a 20 'something' year-old, was ready for retirement. I could not fathom the idea of a person being THAT old! Naturally, all things being relative, today, I recognize, just, exactly, how, very young that is. Being a person who has, NEVER, once, had an issue with birthdays, or, aging, it, simply, tickles me to have come to this stage of my life and to be entering this phase of my existence. I'm, always, a bit, stymied as to why so many others, of whom I am aware, find birthdays, after 'a certain age', to be as an uninvited guest, wishing that it would 'go away', and, leave him/her alone. We all know someone who wishes to remain 'Thirty' forever, do we not, with some, willing to 'slice and dice' themselves away, into a state of perpetual, youthful appearance. For me, aging has become like a comfortable, old shoe, so to speak, a thing that I have accepted, and, embraced, without ever allowing this natural-state of living, to be anything more than an opportunity for me to have enjoyed another, wonderful, year of life. Recently, within the constructs of my extended family, I've been made aware of several, people, who all, quite recently, have left this world, none of whom were older than 46 years of age. When I look back as to what I was involved in and with, at that age, I cannot perceive as to how the lives of those closest to me, my three, sons, might have been impacted. The process of aging is a thing, that, we, virtually, have no control over. Yes, some of us may make the effort to try to look 'forever-young'; however, typically, the efforts put forth are nothing more than a temporary 'fix'. Furthermore, when we cannot find a way to adopt an acceptance of the act of aging, in a realistic manner, each upcoming day, marking another year passed, becomes a thing to fear, rather than to celebrate. Instead of focusing on the physical-changes that come along with growing older, I prefer acknowledging the personal, inner-changes, and, growth, that, I have realized, over the last several decades, and, I concentrate of how much, more, fulfilled I feel. Personally, I find that I am a much, more, 'together' person, and, have become so 'comfortable in my own skin', that I am happier, today, than I've, ever, been, before. Today, as ever, before, I am not counting my years, but, I am making my years count, and, as always, I'm looking forward to celebrating more birthdays to come. C'mon 60...bring it on!!! Just Sayin'...