This year I celebrated two important milestones in my life: my 40th birthday and ten years of marriage to my wife, Kelly.

I’d not paid much attention to my birthdays since my 21st, really. My thinking was that they were just another day. Still, there’s something a little more compelling when one turns 40. Here I am with half of my life in the bag and half to go. There is no doubt that my thirties had been good to me but a lot of the time before them was spent figuring out who the heck I am. When seen in that light it becomes clear that the years I have ahead are certain to be more productive than the ones behind.

I was also recently pondering how the pathways available to me in life are narrowing as I get older. In my younger days I took some comfort in knowing that I had some time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I’ve always had wide-ranging interests and I never wanted to say never. Well, now that 40 has come (and almost gone), “never” is being said for me. Those things I’m planning to do are now called “bucket list” items but the thought it the same: there are still lots of ways I can improve myself. I look forward to them, and to the life ahead.
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