Turning 35 -- What?!?
It happens about this time every year. Actually, it happens Aug. 9 of every year since 1975 -- my birthday. As you can do the math, I will be turning 35 on Monday and as the years are beginning to speed up and slip past with greater velocity, I can actually say, I'm having a pretty darn good time.
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -- Abraham Lincoln
I've always liked this quote. It always has reminded me to not get too hung up on the present because it's only tomorrow's yesterday. Hard things will always cross our life's path, but the moment we let them tie us down, we stop moving forward and not moving forward doesn't do anyone any good.
For anyone who knows me, my favorite book epitomizes the way I try to look at life. It isn't "The Old Man and the Sea" or "The Great Gatsby" -- I go a little more juvenile.
My favorite book, and my favorite Disney movie, is without a doubt J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan". As I said, anyone who knows me understands why the story of a boy in a fantasy world where children never grow appeals to me so much.
It's not that I don't like responsibility, but I refuse to go one step through life without the joys childhood brought us. There's not a day goes by that I don't notice the sunset or make out shapes in the clouds or watch an insect do its own thing. For most, those are moments they could be doing bigger and better things, but for me, there's nothing better than enjoying the world around you.
Walt Disney has a great quote about growing up.
"Too many people grow up. That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget. They don't remember what it's like to be 12 years old. They patronize, they treat children as inferiors. Well, I won't do that."
I couldn't agree more. I have two young daughters and always try to talk to them like little adults. That being said, we don't talk about politics or the inner workings of the world, but I want them to know they are important and deserve adult size attention.
The one quote I am continually trying to disprove is another Barrie gem from "Peter Pan":
All children, except one, grow up.
As I stated before, I will the accept responsibilities of life, but I believe you can have those and still be a kid at heart.
I watch cartoons, I laugh at inopportune times and sometimes I'm a little rambunctious and that's the way I like it.
So as I depart, if you ever need to look me up, I can give you easy directions to my place.
Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning.
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