50 Years = Wisdom

My friend and I have this joke about me gaining wisdom now that I'm 50. We call it my "50 Year Old Wisdom" and I've been 50 now for a month and...well, I'm still waiting. But there is good news. Every day I get stronger and stronger. For you see the year leading up to this milestone I was bothered greatly. And now that I think about it I don't really know why. I was bothered about things I'd not done and the truth that I probably wouldn't ever do them. But I was discounting the things I have done, and the strength I've gained by living through things.

I didn't give myself credit for raising two children pretty much alone, and if you've not tried that, let me tell you something, that is HARD!

There's something to be said for living your life for 50 years and being able to truthfully say during your adult life you've lived everyday striving not to hurt anyone, to treat them as you'd like to be treated. Of course I'm sure I failed at times, but I do try very hard to do that.

I almost forgot the honor of experiencing the birth of two little babes within three weeks of each other, seeing them come into the world and being there to hold their mom's hands and the pride that one of them is my namesake, the other my granddaughter.

In my life where people seem to come and go, I almost forgot that my best friend has been in my life for 12 years and has been with me through thick and thin. Plus we get to work together.

And how could I not appreciate the person that entered my life 8 years ago and has been a steady, sturdy, presence there ever since and accepts me completely and is responsible for so much pure JOY that I'd never known before? Who but him has exposed me to the finer things in life? (Like LAVA CAKE & The World's best Strawberry Shortcake).

My goodness, I got to see "Phantom of the Opera" at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta with my DIL, such a special memory that I am so thankful we had.

I got to see whales, a lifetime dream. And not just once either!

I was filled with so much pride as my son served in the Navy and went on to persue his current career. I'm so happy to have my other son in my life again after we'd had some problems and for the time we've had for him to find out for himself who I really am.

What was I thinking? For all the rough times, the struggles... good times and joyous times have matched them. How could I have missed that? How could I have mourned things that didn't happen and forget the good things that had? Well, from now on I am going to appreciate them because that's been my life, that's what has made me who I am.

WOW...I think I may have just acquired a small, tiny bit of my "50 Year Old Wisdom".