I know for many of my readers 50 was a bench mark passed long ago. A kid, they would call me.
Well, in many ways A kid is how I feel. I've grown up knowing that maturity was supposed to be when you slow down, settle a bit and people respect you and call you Mr a lot because of your grey hair. My body is slower, that's for sure. My head is telling me to settle a bit, and for certain people do call me Mr because of my more and more present grey hair. But my life seems to be in a higher gear than ever before.
It's true, when you work at a day job you always dream of the prospect of being your own boss, being self employed. Taking days off and enjoying life more. I admit I had those mythical images in my head when I was dreaming of becoming a full time artist. But then a funny thing happened. I did become a full time artist. I also stepped onto the treadmill of business. Oh sure I get to do the occasional sleep in thing and bug off to the lake for fun, but most days are busier than I have ever been while I had my day jobs.
No longer do they paycheques get dropped into my bank account every two weeks. No longer does my taxes get deducted by some remote HR department. And no longer can I just punch a clock and go home and forget about work. Don't get me wrong, no one in this world could love their work more than me, no sirreeBob. It's just that entering the world of husseling for your pay has changed how my life is structured and how things are acquired. Now, in stead of being lazy and spending all your money, you have to save because you never know when you might have picked the last apple off the tree. You have to prepare ahead for rainy days and there are some that come pretty unexpectedly.
50 years on is a new experience for me. I welcome it, it's the best time of my life. Beautiful wife, three smart cookies for kids, a black cat and a white cat, fishies in the tank, great and true friends around me and many many more blessings than I should list here.
I am blessed. I live every day as if it were my last. I live every day as if I may never get to sell another painting again. i am thankful to God every day for all that he has given to me.
RM