Okay, technically my 41st birthday is still about a month a way, but I was thinking about the past year and all the crazy things that have happened and I could not help putting pen to paper as usual and coming up with this list. Some of it is slightly bitter, most of it is very positive and upbeat (two things I am trying to be more of these days). All of it is relevant to my recent experience and therefore relevant to this blog. And so, here are the 40 (in no particular order) biggest things about my 40th year:
1) My 40th B-day party was my best birthday yet! Thanks again everyone!
2) I am a damn good BBQ chef, and you are invited to test me on that any time!
3) I may have been unemployed most of my 40th year, but at least I had some free time to do some of the stuff I normally do not get to do!
4) One of these was getting to write a ton!
5) Another of these was spending more time with my son!
6) I read more books this year than in the past five years combined!
7) I learned the hard way that money is just another object and it really and truly does not bring you happiness and not necessarily security either.
8) I lost a nice car, but gained a brand new Honda Fit! (Hondas rule!)
9) I learned more about social services as a recipient for six months than I did working in social services for six years.
10) I learned that there is no such thing as a life-long friend, but that family is forever!
11) Old friends moved aside to allow new friends into my life; forgotten friends came forward to become good friends; and some friends showed that we are all only human and often only as good as our worse faults.
12) On the other hand, I learned that we all have our faults and that only by accepting our own faults are we able to accept the faults of others.
13) I am lucky enough to be one of those people who find joy in every type of cuisine I try, and there is a lot of joy in the cuisines of the world to find!
14) I continue to love and value artistic expression!
15) I have learned that I generally do not like smokers very much... (Loong story, but blame the guy who lived down stairs from me for the last 4 months.)
16) The internet opened up an entirely different world to me--the resources here really are potentially infinite!
17) Most people who complain about stuff that doesn't really matter do not know how bad life can get--I have seen it, and they have no idea.
18) I still really love to read books!
19) I still really love to write!
20) I can draw even better than I thought I could, I just wish I had more time for it.
21) Sports are not really as bad as I once thought they were.
22) I love the ocean--in Hawaii anyway!
23) That's right, I got to move to Hawaii! (maybe that should be number one?)
24) So I learned that there really is often a profound difference in geographical areas, and that I do not miss the rat race of California when compared to the aloha of Hawaii--not one little bit.
25) Stuff is, well, just that...stuff.
26) I am much happier without so much "stuff".
27) Ice cream is my absolute favorite dessert--the flavor combos are endless!
28) The Amazon Kindle is the bomb! (can you say FREE BOOKS??!!)
29) I like talking to people about just about anything--as long as they are not overly negative about everything.
30) Yes, hard to believe, but I am finally comfortable in my own skin and really don't care about what other people think about me anymore.
31) I am a person who cares deeply about others--especially those who are suffering.
32) That type of caring person is VERY rare.
33) Life is too short, and I no longer have time for people who are selfish.
34) It's okay to take your time doing things, in fact often times the more time you take the better work you do.
35) There will always be more to see than can ever be seen and more to do than can ever be done, so slow down and enjoy where you are and what you are doing.
36) Time spent with children is more precious than anything--because people do not remain children for long.
37) It's okay to play video games--it's really okay.
38) How you define yourself is in a constant state of flux and that's what makes you interesting!
39) Trying new things is what makes life worth living!
40) Having a child or children is the single greatest adventure on Earth!
There, I said it. It will be interesting to see at 50 to what else I have learned! Keeping an open mind and willingness to always learn, that is the most important value of all. That, and the fact that living a good life will bring good things to you. I think they call that karma.
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