This isn’t a post you get to write just every day. I’m going to turn 60 in roughly 15 minutes 🙂
I don’t see many positive posts about getting older, period. Perhaps it’s time to make a short list about the ways 60 is so, so much better than 40 or 30. Because if I don’t tell you then maybe you won’t know. And if you don’t know then you’ll be afraid of growing older and think that the best is behind you –
and what a shame that would be.
You’ll keep trying to look younger and feel bad because you can’t, and wind up missing the beauty that is staring at you every morning in the mirror. That child-of-God, ain’t nobody quite-like-you beauty – just as you should be. Perfect in a slightly-wrinkled but please-don’t-try-and-change-you kind of way.
So, here’s my list:
1. All that life-experience, all that school of hard-knocks wisdom, all the knowledge on all sorts of subjects I’ve spent this long accumulating – is right here inside me. Younger people ask me questions just to glean a little of that treasure trove of LIFE. And I’m able to offer them a bit of brilliance without too much effort, actually.
It’s magic.
- Marital longevity. The guy I met and married when I was 19 is still my guy – and I barely ever try to change him. Oh, I tried often to make him into something he wasn’t early on just to satisfy my own insufficiency. But years of working hard on me (and us working on us) served to illuminate one guiding relational light:
I can love and celebrate this person I married without wishing him to be any different than he is.
And that’s freedom.
3. Grown Children. I get to enjoy our kids as adults. Oh my. These babies I cried over, stressed over, prayed over and slaved over have grown up into lovely human beings and I’m enjoying them as some of my favorite people– not to mention the three amazing people THEY married. It’s like having six kids for the price of three.
Whoa, genius.
- Grandchildren. Additionally, there are MORE little humans who’ve joined the ranks and, though we don’t have constant care of them we do get to enjoy their love and beauty in all the best of ways.
And when they love us back it’s Pretty. Much. Heaven.
5. Personal Best. More experience + less interruptive, self-induced drama + realizing it’s not about me + years to hone my skills = a season of amazing relational and vocational fruitfulness. Possibly my richest season ever.
Who knew?
- The [Undeserved] Gift of Today. My best friend died suddenly when we were in our early forties. Her early death awarded me an acute awareness that growing older – experiencing life each and every day – is a gift I simply cannot take for granted. Consequently, there’s no trash-talking about aging in our home. Each day is a gift and none of us has the promise of more than one day at a time.
That’s truth.
So, whatever your age, you’ve got this gift of today. Don’t waste it or begrudge it or think it needs to be any shorter or longer than what it is.
As for me, I’ll be over here rockin’ sixty.
…and these are just six of the reasons why I love this woman, now for almost 42 years as my wife and best friend. We have a shared history and experiences that have shaped us and almost created a unique language we enjoy together that no one else could fully appreciate or begin to understand. We have invested in each other and the return on that investment (joy, love, friendship, companion, life partner) reminds me of the incredible gift God gave us in each other…..also, how important our commitment to each other and God has been to work at and invest in ourselves and our marriage. Thanks for being committed to that journey……. and while at one point in my life, I thought 60 (or 62) was ancient….now, I believe, we are more like a fine wine and getting better with each day. Happy Birthday Kimmie. Love how you are already are rockin’ sixty!
With much love!
Clark
Thank you for your words, Clark!!! Rock on!
Can I make this into a poster? Seriously, incredible writing and powerful thinking. Thank you for sharing because, now I know.
I would definitely order a poster. Done. 🙂 Thanks, Diane!
Friend, teacher, finder-fixer-upper, and I don’t just mean things, I mean me. Did you know that Kim? Did you know you reveal light and purpose in everything you touch? You rescue, reuse and repurpose-the things and the people, that others don’t see. I am eternally grateful you saw me. Right now on my journey, I have been added to my church’s staff to help envision, beautify and organize worship. YOU ENGAGED that part of me. YOU empowered the dream, and YOU revealed the MUD AND SPIT in my artist’s case. You are my mentor and someone I think of most every day when I’m faced with, “what would Kim do with this? You are a world-changer, revealing one bright-light at a time. I thank Gid for your birth! Happy Birthday Kim
Cheryl. Your words are one of my best gifts today. God bless you – we need to connect about all you are doing at some point! From one bright light to another 🙂
Rich! Thank you for sharing this. Encouraging for me in my thirties and relevant to my now too. While I am building for my tomorrow, there is much I have to offer to my today. Thank you for showing me how to celebrate and learn from the past, look hopefully toward the future, and most of all , to be here in the now and uniquely who I am now. Now I know too. Xoxo.
Love sharing with you 🙂 🙂
Such great words.
Thank you, Paula!!
All great reasons to love 60! You are loved by many because of Christ living in you- keep shining your light! Thank you so much for your willingness to share yourself!