I’m about to have another birthday. Was I really born on this day?

For the life of me, I cannot remember. I’m working on her-say (it’s kind of like hearsay). Mother said that was when it happened and I guess she ought to know. But she’s not here so it can’t be hearsay. I’m dependent on her memory. I call it her-say.

There are some things I do not like about growing older. It’s not all fun.

• Recently, my hairline appears to be in retreat. As a middle-aged male, I’m glad that the majority of my hair has not decided to turn loose. However, too many have determined to lose color.
• If the top of my head did not betray my birthdays, then my facial hair certainly did. Though I am naturally blonde, my facial hair has always been black. Well, it was until about five years ago. I recently noticed it became predominantly white.

What was my solution? I am now sporting a clean-shaven face. One of my peers commented that it looks like I shaved ten years off my face. Wait a minute. Was that a compliment?

There are some things I like about growing older. I’ve already figured out a few things.

• I understand that life is made up of a whole lot of getting up and going to work. I have no pipe dreams left about becoming independently wealthy.
• I’m no longer trying to decide what I want to do with my life. With the less than half of my life that I might have left, I know what I want to do. I know who I want to do it with. I know Who I want to please.
• I know who I am, regarding personality and temperament. I’m okay with who I am and Whose I am.

What if I could go back twenty-five years and have a talk with me? There are at least two things about which I would convince me.

• I’d convince me, “go ahead and enroll in some classes.” I was young, married, and poor. Therefore, I thought it was in my best interest to work seven days a week. That didn’t change my economic status. I should have been pushing hard toward formal education, in spite of my poverty. In the long run, I would have met some financial goals at least a decade sooner.
• I’d convince me, “compound interest is your friend. Invest more than you think is possible in your retirement plan. Save before you make non-essential purchases.” Fiscally speaking, I was ignorant, and my lack of knowledge was destructive.

Don’t misunderstand this preacher. I am grateful for where I am and how old I am. God has blessed me with an excellent life in spite of my not so great start in life. God’s hand of favor is upon me, and that’s something I can’t figure out. I can only describe it as GRACE!

That grace-filled note marks the end of my third annual birthday post. Thankfully, it’s not quite the end of my days.

How do you commemorate your birthdays?