A Whole Lifetime Away

     Today is my birthday and I turned 66. How do I feel you ask? No different than I did when I turned 26 or 36. Yes, my body moves a bit slower and I have a few aches and pains but no different. Back when I was 26, 66 seemed a lifetime away and unimaginable. But, here I am, a whole lifetime away.

     One thing that has changed is the way I think. In my 20's I felt immortal, life was going to last forever. I thought I had plenty of time to do all the things I wanted to do and see. When I reached 60, suddenly I could feel my mortality creeping up on me oh so quickly. In my 60's, I thought of all the things I never got a chance to experience. It took me more than half my life to find out what true happiness was all about. Do I regret my life before 36? No. Without it, I would never have known what happiness was when it finally came along.

     So I didn't get the opportunity to travel the world and at one time that was so important. I wanted to go to Holland and see the windmills. I wanted to go to Egypt and visit the pyramids. I wanted to go to Australia and experience the outback. I wanted to see the canals of Venice. Now I get to visit them through National Geographic. At 36 I found happiness and I wouldn't give that up for anything. Thirty years of happiness was worth every one of those trips.

     True love came along and found me at 36. I wasn't looking for it and at the time I didn't want it. But, it waited patiently until I realized what was happening. I read the books and watched the movies but to me at that point, it was just fairy tales. Things like this simply didn't happen, at least not in the world I lived in.

     True love was unlike anything else I have ever experienced. At first, I was confused. Once I realized what was happening I was shocked. Could this be happening to me? Oh, I fought it tooth and nail. I didn't want any part of this but love was very understanding and it waited until I was ready to accept it. Finally, I knew there was no getting away from it so I took a deep breath and jumped in feet first. I never looked back.

     So today I turned 66 and I can say I'm the happiest I've ever been. My life may not be perfect for some people's standards but it's perfect for me. I could ask for more but I'm more than content with what I have. Life isn't about fancy houses, new cars, and expensive vacations. It's about who you get to share it with. I honestly have to say, I've been celebrating life for the last 30 years. Today's birthday just reminds me I've had one more year to remember what true love has given me. The very best gift of all.