Two Wheels To Nowhere

I noticed recently that I make a quiet groaning noise every time I sit down or stand up in the evening. I noticed that I’m grumpy or hangry more often than in decades past. I noticed that I have no tolerance for pop music radio (what’s with all the AutoTune??) or the commercials that pepper it. I noticed that I walk with a slight bend at the hips and shorter stride for a minute or two after getting out of bed in the morning. I noticed that the prospect of a late evening of drinking with buddies doesn’t come without a plan for an after work nap prior to it.

However, I also noticed that I ate an oversized piece of triple chocolate fudge birthday cake without a second thought. And that I can still eat with impunity, as if I was nineteen. I noticed that when I say my age out loud – “Fifty-two” – it sounds completely incongruous with how old I feel. And that 52 is in fact, still a “full deck”. I noticed that I can run and bike and respectably still keep pace with guys my kids age (although my recovery is probably half their speed).

All in all, I feel incredibly fortunate to get old enough to start feeling my joints ache and to start seeing my hair thin faster than it’s turning grey. It’s a privilege our ancestors never had, and that even today many in the world still don’t enjoy. I feel fortunate and thankful for all the friends and family who took a moment today to wish me another good year on this rock we call home. Thank you all.