Today is a dear friend's birthday. It is amazing how many birthdays there are in January - including my own. Or at least there are a ton in my circle of friends. I guess it's true. Spring has sprung and mating season has begun. It's ironic (see yesterday's post) that as soon as the weather clears and we can go outside an be healed of our cabin fever out in the glorious sun all we want to do is stay in and SHTUP!
Every year you hear things like "Another year older another year wiser." Or "Over the hill." You set goals for yourself and use age as a benchmark. For me I wanted to own my own home before I was 30, be famous before I was 35, and kill myself at 50 if I was unsuccessful at the first 2. But why do we set all these arbitrary goals for ourselves? Would it not been as rewarding if I bought my first house at 32? Maybe not. We will never know. Because I was 29-and-a- half. Nailed it!
In this world of biological clocks, cosmetic companies selling the fountain of youth, and Hollywood starlets aging out at 35 it starts to get harder and harder to enjoy a birthday. As we approach it the proverbial hill gets higher and higher from our perspective. And that's all that really matters. How old do I feel as opposed to how old I am. If we don't think that way or we let our ideas about aging take over we will all be in a rocking chair at 40.
I'm all caught up right now with this notion that I wasted so much time. If I was 25 and where I am with my career I would be fine. But I am so behind. I waited too long. Blah blah blah. Enter the Chicken Soup for the Soul calendar I got for Christmas. I'm a cynic and loath a gift like this. However I gotta admit when the student is ready the master appears. January's theme is one of those trees of life. The Chinese proverb athe bottom of it reads "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now."
Fine Chicken Soup. I'm off to dig either my grave or a perfect spot for a tree to give some shade. But either way I promise to dig every day.
Happy Birthday Capricorns. May the goat be with you.
Blog Author
Michelle Tomko's comedy is a fervent blend of tomboy sensibilities courtesy of the older brothers she grew up with in the Midwest and the barrage of perimenopausal chaos the East Coast world has heaped upon her. She pulls her humor from everyday observations and classic stories of family, travel, pets, and adversity. With razor-sharp crowd work and improvisational skills to the rock-solid timing of a veteran performer, Michelle’s act is not to be missed!