December 21, 2007

• Going Downhill And Picking Up Speed!

  

  Today I'm 42. Forty Two. Cuarenta y dos. Yeah, I admit that I'm well past my prime. I'll be the first to tell you that I've slowed down... and reek of Icy Hot or Tiger Balm most nights. Pathetic? Perhaps. But I've come to the realization that these are in fact bonus years, and I should be grateful for them. And I am. I'm at peace. Or maybe it's me trying to stay positive... since I really don't have a choice in the matter anyway. Whatever. But life isn't so bad. I mean, once I've drained the batteries off of my nose hair clipper from the almost daily grooming and tweezed the protruding ear hair out...life isn't so bad. And there are in fact bonuses in getting older. From buying cigarettes and alcohol without being carded, to car insurance rates being significantly less. Of course, I'd trade that in, for a pair of firme viejas in a heartbeat! But, really, even if I did end up fornicating with a pair of barely over 18 cheerleaders, I'm betting I'd throw my back out and spend most of the time apologizing and saying things like, "slow down honey, my heart can't take this." or "Hey my name is Miguel, not Gumby...what's with all the freaky positions?" And how could I live with myself if I had to stop due to shortness of breath, doing the one thing I once held a PhD in??? No, no , no. I'll just stay retired and leave all that good stuff to the younger generation. And perhaps there is a bit of sarcasm in my writing...because truth be told, I'd just perform my ass off and then die of a heart attack after they left. I'd never admit to being too old...at least for that.

  What I do know is that though I'm only 42...the life I lived makes me feel well into my 60's. And I'm not just talking out of my anal cavity, that's the truth. Life's experiences make me wealthy in knowledge. Wisdom comes from experience and not simply by being smart. I think it's ironic that I used to think I knew more than my parents or people who were much older simply because I had a half decent noodle. I realize now that the younger generation always knows more and feels that they know more about life than the people who've actually experienced it and made the same mistakes (and learned from them) before they were even born. Now I look back and wonder how I could have been so arrogant. I guess that's life though. In the end, our children need to find their own way, and sometimes even make their own mistakes in order to actually learn what we already know. But what can we do? I mean, I realize that not everyone likes to hear advice or have people tell them about life...and our children loathe the times (for the most part) we try and talk to them about mistakes we want them to avoid. We do it out of love. We continue to do it even though we know how it will be received...but what else can we do?

  Perhaps some day, one of our kids will break that cycle and actually take our word for something and avoid pain or discomfort...and then it will be worth it. I wonder how many people have gone back to tell their parents that they are grateful for what they tried to do? Personally, I'd hate it when my mother used to tell me, "you can't understand now...but when you have children of your own, you will." And guess what? Uneducated and unschooled mom was right. Now, as a parent, I do understand.

  And maybe...just maybe, I'll be able to relate to my kids more than my parents were able to relate to me. If God gives me a few more years, I vow to make that my goal in life. Not that I don't try now...but I know that I can do a lot better. And If that means more ass, nose, and ear hair then I say BRING IT ON!

  Thoughts???
  

  • 9:18 am
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