60 Ahead — My New Year’s Resolutions
2021 is the year most of the kids I grew up with and I are turning 60. I know, I can’t believe it either. I mean, it’s just a number, but … wow!
With it being a milestone year, I have decided to be somewhat philosophical in arriving at resolutions this year. I simply want to continue to Enjoy the Journey, and to Gain More Wisdom.
- Enjoy the Journey
For years I have wondered why old people drive slowly. “The clock is ticking — get a move on” I would think as the silver haired driver in front of me offered far too much respect for the speed limit. Don’t they understand that as we age, we have less time left to get things done? Maybe its Parkinson’s, or the fact I am no longer working, but I am starting to understand these people. Dare I say it, maybe I am just getting older?
For most my adult life, I tried to live by the adage “if your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it”. I attribute a lot of my successes to this even though my tendency to make quick decisions did result in me swimming out to a few wrong ships.
We could all sit back and wonder what my life could have been if we had taken a different path, but there’s no point. It’s like when you’re looking at a map that tells you, “you are here”. You can’t deny that it is your starting point for wherever you go next.
While I still take liberties with the speed limit, I am far more content to stay in my lane these days. Not having a high stress job helps, but it’s mostly about being content on my journey.
I have been asked a few times about my bucket list — the things I want to do before Parkinson’s shuts me down? I find the very concept of a “things to do while I still can” checklist absolutely depressing. It’s much more practical to just enjoy every moment.
Even as I look back on 2020. It provided many new challenges including being separated from family and friends, yet I still look back on it as a wonderful year. I reconnected with old friends, and I was lead on a journey toward reconciliation and of discovery. A journey that taught me to see the world from a broader perspective. I became wiser.
I’m optimistically looking forward to seeing what 2021’s journey brings me.
2. Gaining More Wisdom
2021 is also the year Barrack Obama, and Michael J. Fox turn 60. Two inspirational people that have simply made the world better. I’ve read multiple books written by both of them, and aside from their lofty contributions to society, I feel like I can relate to them when they talk about growing up in the 60s and 70s.
In Obama’s most recent book he talks about the need to continually challenge our thinking to make a positive difference. As an example, as president he repealed the archaic “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the US Military. He also admits to having derogatorily called people “gay” or “fag” when he was young. Like me, he used those terms even before he knew what they meant. Getting that legislation removed seems obvious looking back now, but at the time it was a big move. We still have a very long way to go.
A wise person challenges old thinking to gain knowledge. It is too easy for people to fall into a rut and to stop learning. It’s those people that confuse making the world “great again” with going back to a time when injustices were far greater than they are today. To be wise you must continually challenge your own thinking — be open to new knowledge and be willing to apply it.
Do your part to make the world a better place. Never stop thinking. Never stop learning. Be wise.
Published
Originally published at https://shakeitupdotonline.wpcomstaging.com on December 31, 2020.
