60 years old. What used to be an abstraction (and a far off one at that) is now a reality. I don’t really dwell on it. Over 20 years ago, I firmly decided not to worry about events I couldn’t do anything about so I could concentrate on events I could do something about. Turning 60 is definitely not something I can change!
I have learned the value of experience the older I get! I have also realized how important it is to look at life with the wonder of a child looking at something new and exciting and not to get into a rut.
Probably, as for the past 20 years, maybe 30 years, what bothers me most is the lack of time to do what I want/have to do. Probably for the last 15 years, I don’t like the idea that opportunities are closing on me.
I will always remember the first time (and subsequent) times I heard the Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken” and how I immediately recognized the Great Dilemma of life.
Some roads I am glad I have taken is my career as City Manager, marrying Aliene, moving to Lakeland, bike riding, walking in the morning, l loving to read etc. Not to say there aren’t many things I would have done different, but overall I feel I am on the right road in those areas. I think that helps facing the years to come and the feeling that opportunities are closing.
Looking back, I am glad that at 40 I realized the “future is now”. While I realized you still need to plan for the future, you live in the present. At 50 I finally understood the beauty of experiencing every minute of life, including the rough times.
One thing about living in a 55+ community, I see some many people “more mature” than I who still enjoy life and have a high quality of life. It can be done!
Yesterday I mentioned that perhaps the scariest thing about turning 60 is that in 10 years I will be 70! I hope to work at least 10 more years, so in only 10 short years I could be facing the major life change of retirement. Of course, I remember when I was in my 30’s I thought retiring at 55 was a great idea, in my 40’s I thought retiring at 62 was great, when I was 57 I liked the idea of retiring at 67, now I am thinking of retiring at 70 when I am 60!
Of course, one reason I picked 67 was that in 2015 I wanted to walk up to the stage and receive my “40 years of service” award from the International City Managers Association at the Annual Conference! It is hard to believe on October 21, 1974 I started my first full-time career job with the City of
The first real impact of working for City government actually came shortly after I started my first job. I was standing in line for a show and I looked at the line and a chill went down my back (a pleasurable chill) when I realized that my job affected, however small, the quality of life for everyone in the City. I am pleased to note that I still feel that chill of pleasure!
60 years-perhaps still an abstraction, but I am living it!
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