Nov 27 2008
On Turning 35
My 35th birthday is next Thursday, Dec. 4. I like to work heavily on my birthday and I plan to do the same this year. I take plenty of time off and I’m used to being productive on my birthday. I figure it’s the best gift I can give myself.
I like having a December birthday. It’s part of the holiday season. It’s during a festive time of the year. However, I also like the three-week gap between my birthday and Christmas. There’s just enough of an interval that people can’t get away with buying me just one present to cover both occasions. I felt sad for people with birthday closer to Dec. 25 who got “birthmas” gifts each year.
Around this time of year, I like to reflect on what I’ve done during the past 365 days. I’ll offer two examples.
In college, one instructor asked my class what we’d be doing at various stages of our lives. I don’t recall what I wrote for most of the ages, 30, 40, 50, etc. By the time I reached the last age–60–I was bored with the assignment. I’d also never pictured myself as an old man. I was 20 at the time. So I wrote, “I won’t live to see my 60th birthday.”
The teacher collected the papers and was alarmed at my response. Easy to understand. She asked me why. I told the truth. I said I had no idea. I just didn’t think I would. There wasn’t anything else either of us had to say.
Fifteen years later, I realize–if that premonition is true–I have 25 years left. Some people would say they don’t want to know when they’ll die. Would be too depressing. Others would like to know so they can live accordingly.
The people of Mumbai didn’t know what was coming. The survivors are left to deal with the loss of the fallen. Governments are supposed to help us before, during and after such tragedies. The actions and reactions of nations will either discourage or embolden similar actions. Let’s hope our governments will do all they can to stop future calamities.
