Yes, the Chief has officially reached the seventh decade of his life! I guess, at this point, I’m supposed to feel “old”. But I damn sure don’t! Not really. I mean I can’t eat like I did even twenty-five years ago, and my knees are definitely paying the price from decades of jogging. And I know full well that I now have more years behind me than ahead of me. But I’m still here!
Each decade of life is a major milestone, and I’m very fortunate to make it this far – especially considering I lost a close friend, David, this past April. That came a year after I lost another long-time friend, Paul. Paul was 55, and David was just days away from his 50th birthday.
Therefore, I’m so glad to make it this far. I’m also happy to say I’m at a good place in life – feeling better than I have in years. I just started a full-time job this past August; surprising considering I was 59 and hadn’t been employed like that in well over a decade. My writing is also coming along nicely. I’ll never give up on that!
And I swear – I’ll never get “OLD”! My body will age and eventually give out, of course. But I’ll never let my mind and spirit get old.
Chief Writing Wolf 
Welcome to adulthood. Hope, like me, you’ll find that all the myths about ‘growing old’ are really just that. I’m a year and a half away from the big eight-oh, and don’t feel any older than I did when I was 50. As a matter of fact, I was just on a speaking trip to Atlanta and a young woman, when I told her my age, accused me of lying and thought I was near her age, which was 45. Imagine that. Age, my friend, is a state of mind. If you think old, you’ll be old.
Thank you, Charles! And no, you definitely don’t look like you’re pushing 80! Indeed, age is really just a number. I’ll never get “old”!
Happy Major Birthday! My sixties were great. Ten years (plus) on from there, I agree with you about not growing old mentally. Aside from making you more interesting to other people, it is more fun to stay interested in new things, cultural and otherwise.
Thank you, Mary. Yes, I’m in a better place now than I have been in years.
Congratulations on the big 60. So pleased you are going to keep on writing and for me turning 60 had many that although my heart had been broken by tragedy, I have found my head and emotions to be more resilient and calmer than ever before. Welcome to the seventh decade. It is fabulous.
Thank you, Amanda! I feel fortunate to have made it this far in life; having battled depression most of my life and alcoholism since I was a young adult. Both my parents lived into their 80s, and my paternal grandmother lived to 97. But I won’t take it for granted that I’ll live that long. Still, every day I wake up is another chance to make my life better.
It is inspiring that you have found a new direction in life. Alejandro. Well done! And it’s not easy to come out of that black hole that you must have fely you were in, some time ago. It shows resilience, strength and deep thinking to process the things that were bothering you. Not everyone masters that. Celebrate life!!