There is an old cliche suggesting "everyone has a song within them." The reference implies all of us have at least one song waiting inside of us to get out (to be written). If that is true, I likely used mine up a while back.
Over a decade ago, I entered a song-writing contest on a local radio station and my song was chosen as one of the top two songs. The song contest challenged listeners to write a "country" song that had to include a laundry list of country song items (a dog, a truck, a lost love, jail time etc.). I entered the contest simply because after hearing the on- air DJ read some of the entries he had received, I concluded frankly, that they stunk! Stepping out of the shower, I said to my wife, "I can write a better song than that!" "Okay, prove it!" was her reply.
The contest ended at noon that day, so I quickly grabbed a guitar and pounded out a song in about 20 minutes. Since the contest ended in a matter of only a couple hours, I merely faxed the lyric sheet over to the station never expecting to hear from them. The next day they called and announced my song was a winner. For me, that was like putting a lit match to gasoline. Within a few months, I had written a couple handfuls of songs, most of which I scarcely even remember today. But one of the lyrics from some of those songs has stayed with me.
The lyric reflected a conversation a son has with his dad about getting old. At one point in the lyric, the father reflects about getting older saying, "the number may be 60, but it feels like 45."
When I wrote that line I was on the low side of 30 something and had little thought for getting "old." Today, I turned the corner on "half-way-to-90" as I celebrate my 45th birthday. Facing my own lyric, I'm wondering if this (45) is what I'm really going to feel like when I'm 60. But then again, is there any possible way I can feel 45 when I am 45? Shouldn't I feel like a low 30-something?
Doing the math, I don't know that I can say I feel "30" today. There has been a lot of road traveled and some hard life lessons learned in the past 15 years that in many ways make me feel (thankfully) older than 30. However, I still have a considerable amount of energy and believe I am in good healt
h (ahh you see...there is a true sign of aging, when we begin conversing about our health!). I've heard the cliches "Your only as old as you feel" and "age is relative, one is only as old as they behave." Those things withstanding, to be honest today, I really don't know how old I feel.Overall, I'm simply happy to be alive and living life as the Creator has given it to me to live. Less concerned about the time on the clock or the days on the calendar, I simply want to live each day to the fullest and give God all the glory He deserves.
If the day comes for me to see my 60th year, perhaps I will stop and reflect and determine that in some ways, I do feel 45. If so, I will count that day blessed because as for today, being 45 is a good thing no matter what age it feels!
"The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old."
Proverbs 20:29
gray hair the splendor of the old."
Proverbs 20:29
4 comments:
Perhaps you've heard what they say, "50 is the new 30!" Since I will hit 50 this year (gasp!), I am hoping that statement rings true.
Do you ever find yourself thinking back to a time in your early adulthood, when you almost feel like you're looking at your own life in the 3rd person? Sometimes weird but it happens to me.
My dad (in his 80s), says that he still feels inside like he is in his 30s or 40s - perhaps that is the key to feeling youthful?
I still feel like I'm in my 20s even though the mirror (and my bones) say otherwise.
Blessings to you, and Happy Birthday!
A conversation I shared last night expressed the same thing. Thinking back to childhood (and even early adulthood) feels almost as if it happened to someone else and I'm on the outside looking in. Glad to know someone else has a similar experience!
Happy Birthday Friend!
Happy Birthday!
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