It’s been a strange year. 

Just hit another birthday (not one ending in a zero), but another birthday, nonetheless. 

My 30^th high school reunion is approaching this weekend, I didn’t attend the 10, or 20 year (no major reason why) so it is going to be a seriously bizarre time capsule situation.

None of all that is important, you’re here for a confession, so here it is.

Most of that stuff older people told me was coming, I blew off. 

There’s no way I’m going to start waking up for no reason at, or before dawn with no alarm set.  (this week I found myself on my porch googling “why do birds chirp so much at dawn”).

There’s no way my metabolism is going to slow down, or that those beers will lead to a “belly”.  (I used to be able to drop a pound a day by doing 12 minutes of exercise and skipping dessert).

There’s no way I’m going to look like my dad.  (the other day I was walking towards the house, saw my reflection in the window and thought “dad, what are you doing in my living room?”).

There’s no way I’m going to stop playing basketball and pick up pickleball…. (guess what my wife got me for my birthday, pickleball lessons at the Wylie Rec, and we loved it).

The list goes on… (I used to rock a pair of Doc Martens, now I’m not wearing anything without the right inserts…)

Dear Boomers, you were right about a lot of stuff.  Getting older is not for the weak, (but it sure beats the alternative).

This confession is causing me to rethink what growing older will look like for me.

I’ve seen older people who are terrible to be around.  They suck the joy out of every room they inhabit.  They bring fear and frustration to a world they no longer understand and feel powerless to change.

I’ve been around older people who are pleasant.  You know the nice, easy-going type.  The kind that makes you think “I’d be cool to hang out with them again”.

Finally, I’ve been around older folks who radiate joy, wisdom and gratitude.   These are the people who are in the hospital with a terminal illness, and they are asking the nurse if there’s anything going on in THEIR lives they can pray for. 

These are the types of people who spend the second half of their lives investing in others.  When I hang out with them, I leave saying “I have got to find a way to be around them more”.  And when I dive deeper into what makes them so great, I always see a life that exudes what the bible calls “the fruit of the spirit”…. Love, joy, peace, self-control, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. 

The good news is no matter how old we are, we can start living a life filled with these traits. 

Wanna join me?

By Todd Baughman