The Ball Drops

So, I’m 40 now.

There’s no more denying it. I’m officially a grown-up.

To be honest, though, I’ve kind of thought of myself in a 40ish category for the last three years, so there’s really no heartache.

My wife turned 40 in February, and we had a big party then with all our out of town friends who could come down. So no big party this time. We kind of had our fanfare back then.

During that weekend, we took my wife to the roller-skating rink for a little flashback fun. It was excellent when we walked up to the window and the guy behind the glass asked if we were here to pick up some kids and we said, “No way, we’re here to skate!” He didn’t actually roll his eyes, but you could tell he was doing it on the inside. We definitely were the oldest skaters that night---by decades. It was fun, but it wasn’t quite the flashback feeling that I was hoping for. The music wasn’t right. I think the oldest song was from 1998. I needed some Foreigner or Boston. Something.

The wife and I will be going out this Saturday, though. To also celebrate our 18^th Anniversary.

It’s nice to have the anniversary so close to my birthday. That way I can put my focus on the part where I enjoy accumulating years.

When I was in High School, I started being in rehearsal during all of my birthdays. So I’d just take cupcakes to rehearsal and call it a party. The last big party I had was when I turned 21. I got a bunch of college friends from the Drama department together and we all went to Chucky Cheeses’ and danced with the 4 year olds. It was a riot.

At my wife’s party I announced that this was her “Life Begins at 40” party. I may have said this before, but it’s like this: You have freedom but no wisdom in your twenties, so you get in all sorts of messes. You have wisdom but no freedom in your thirties, because you are busy fixing all the messes from your twenties. Then you hit forty, and if you play your cards right, you have both wisdom and freedom---so let the good times roll!

And I think the Bible supports this, too. Remember 40 days and 40 nights of rain, 40 years in the desert seeking the promised land, and 40 days in the desert being tempted by the devil before Jesus’ ministry began-----see, all the good stuff started after 40!

Besides, I’m not even at midlife yet---by my calculations I have another 20 years before that sets in.

So raise a glass. Here’s lookin’ back at cha.