Half a century. That’s the joke.
On my 10th birthday, I was in Florida, likely celebrating at a bowling alley or go-kart track after a move from Houston to Boca Raton. I’d only enrolled at that school the year before, and I was a shy and self-conscious kid, which didn’t help me make new friends quickly. My 5th grade party was one of those awkward life moments where some kids you weren’t really friends with got invited just to fill out the party a bit.
On my 20th birthday, I don’t even remember what I did. Similar situation. I was at a university in Los Angeles I wasn’t enjoying, and I hadn’t made a lot of friends there, partly because the kids sucked and partly because I was still kind of introverted. I know I didn’t do much.
On my 30th birthday, I’d been in DC about a year and hit Local 16 on U Street NW with a handful of friends. Only a handful, because I hadn’t really grown my social network yet.
On my 40th birthday, I did it right. On a family heritage road trip through the Netherlands by myself, I had dinner at what used to be my second great uncle’s butcher shop in Groningen and returned to Amsterdam in the evening to eat horse and party with my buddy Conrad. This was my most memorable and meaningful birthday.
Today, I turn 50. I spent a quiet morning at home, went to the gym, helped my neighbor fix the battery-operated lock on her front door, and then had a mediocre steak dinner with my daughter. Not quite the banger I wish it was, but I’m headed to Spain on vacation in a few days with some buddies to really celebrate.
Being 50 feels weird, but it’s mostly because it sounds old. I don’t feel old. I take care of myself, though time is starting to take a physical toll. In the last few years, softball has wrecked my Achilles, wrist, and back. There have been surgeries, and I’ve got another case of nagging sciatica that might require one more. I have to hold my phone farther away to read my texts, and I am hopeless with tiny print on menus in dimly lit restaurants. But I’m overall in good shape, my mind is still sharp (I think), and I’m happy with the life I’ve led so far. I’ve got my priorities in order, I’ve risen to meet real challenges, and I’ve made a lot of good memories along the way.
Half a century doesn’t really mean a whole lot on its own, but being past halfway through my statistical life expectancy does. This is, it seems, the home stretch. I’m nowhere near done — there’s still so much I want to do with this life — and I’m reassured that I’ve learned the skills that matter: who to connect with, what to prioritize, where to burn my calories, and how to appreciate the truly good things when they come along. I’ve got a lot more to do, a lot more fun to have, and the confidence that it will happen.
This morning, I learned that the most famous person to share a birthday with me is OnlyFans star Sophie Rain. That’s weird.
0 Comments