Sixty Two.  62!  I have completed sixty-two years on this earth.  The noise of those numbers keeps resonating in my mind.

I approach my 63rd year with continued optimism.  With expectation.  With hope.  Pursuing yet another significant career move to offer what a life of experience of some successes, of numerous failures (professional and personal) that have resulted in decades of experiential learning brings.  Sixty two years that have reveled the joy is in the journey.  The reward is in the learning.  The peace is in the gratitude.  The deepest love is in forgiveness and being forgiven.  The purpose is in the relationships.  The blessing is in yet another year and the knowledge, truth and hope that this is just a short stopover to the eternity that Jesus willingly sacrificed his life for me (and you).

My 62 birthday is celebrated by my first hearing aide awaiting me at Costco this coming Monday.  62 is the 20th years of marriage to my best friend.  62 is my 20th year of Type 2 Diabetes and a reward of a recent A1C of 6.5, which is very good for those who live with this disease.  62 is the beginning of the gift of my 63rd year.

“Getting old isn’t for wimps” is a true statement that I often heard and share.  62 is a responsibility.  It is a time to reflect emotional maturity and stability, of which I don’t do well and remain committed to becoming better.  62 is a time to share that there are very few catastrophes in life.  There are numerous hiccups, speed bumps, off ramps and wrong directions in a one way life, all allowed for the value of experience only wasted if not shared.  62 represents God’s unfailing love for me in the rewards that have come from knowledge that comes for His allowing me to walk so many curvy and hard roads that have straightened and eased as I have surrendered to Him.

62 is a body that reflects scars from the gift of life.  Shoulder surgeries, small intestine resection, knee issues, broken fingers, dozens of stitches from a life lived with risks, rewards, naive confidence and confident ability honed from years of love, guidance and teaching from those who came before me and have walked beside me.  What a priceless gift these 62 years have been.

62 is the incredible gift of a soon to be 19 year old son, 18 year old daughter and 15 year old daughter.  A beautiful wife whose very breath energizes my life and clarifies love.  A family that solidifies the essence of life and the requirement that I remain healthy, hopeful and current while providing experience and wisdom that 62 assigns.

63 looks wonderful.  63 brings a burden of assigned leading through willfully serving.  I have a message to share.  I have experience to convey.  I have a hope to reflect.  I have gratitude to deliver.  I am grateful for you, Megan, Benton, Malia, Kensley and the incredibly extensive group of friends and mentors who have helped deliver me to this day.

Thank you, Father, for giving me life when death was deserved.  Let’s go.  63 is not waiting!