One Year Older

I feel older.  Much, much older and slower than I've felt in years.  This year's birthday may not be worse than some of the others, but it's not the best either. 

It is not much of a bummer growing old or older.  What's bothersome is that it seems I do not have time on my hands.  It slips fast.  Very fast.  Due to my work hours, the weekends are not there!  Literally, I get home, sleep and the weekend or days off is gone.

I may not have any wealth or riches, but I think that I am looking at more and better opportunities for growth than I've seen in years!  That was the positive side of where I am right now.  Hopefully, this new career will move forward as planned.  Allowing me to pursue plans and dreams as never before.  Well, if you're at the bottom, you can only look up.

I have a lovely wife who I love very much.  We've been married these past 16 years and it was just a breeze.  There were a lot of tough times.  But she's there always beside me, maybe not knowing what my plans were, but trusting me just the same.  Or so I think she did.

I have two kids, Kenneth and Darwi.  They're adorable and just approaching their teens.  Kenneth will be 14 this October.  And Darwi is 12.  Admittedly, if you're a parent these are frightening years.  Just the thought terrifies me, actually.  I have to watch them from a distance.  I have to coach them closely, correcting things and teaching object lessons.  The basics are there, now the need is to do some trimming.  And maybe I can leave them be when they reach voting age.  I am just preparing myself now for letting go and allowing them to make their own mistakes, making sure that they will learn that they made mistakes and that they learn from these mistakes.  As a parent, that is all I can do.

I am looking forward to the rest of this calendar year.  I am also looking very positively forward to the rest of my years.  I hope to live a long life, maybe to my 70's.  I look forward to enjoying myself.  This will be a great adventure, I just need to get in better shape.

I need to laugh more often.  I need to be with old friends.  If not sitting across from them, then at least keeping in touch more often.  Maybe more letters, emails or cards.

More pictures I hope to take and archive.

I will write more and more and more.

And the Dark Side of me?  I will push more, cajole, goad and be a general pain in the butt for some people.  Or maybe just one.  One at a time.  And enjoy myself too.  If you know who you are, too bad.  And if you are not the one I am referring to, you don't need to tell him.  He already knows. hahaha.  What fun I will have!

--andoy