As I approach the half-century mark, I find myself increasingly introspective rather than celebratory, although I suspect, at some point, there may be some celebration involved.
I'm not much of a belly-button gazer - I would much rather live life than contemplate it - but this year seems the right time to do a bit of an assessment.
Reflecting on the past 50 years hasn't brought me any new or startling revelations or any magical insight, but I can provide a random sampling of lessons I've learned, either through personal experience or observation.
1. Being blessed with loving parents is probably the greatest gift anyone can receive. It sets your course for life.
2. Being picked last for "Red Rover" or any other neighborhood game may hurt your feelings temporarily, but it doesn't scar you for life.
3. Likewise, being picked on a little, despite what so-called "bullying experts" proclaim, isn't all that traumatic. It helps you learn to deal with people in the real world. Bullies aren't confined to the playground or the classroom; they're in government and in corporate America, too.
4. Be kind to people. They'll remember you for that, not for what you wore to the seventh-grade dance or the goofy hairstyle your mother made you wear.
5. Tell people you love them every chance you get. One day it will be too late.
6. It's okay to flirt. A lot.
7. Dating, while married, is never a good idea.
8. Your children are young for a very short period. Spend all the time you can with them, pouring love and respect into them. If you do that, you may be temporarily disappointed in something they've done, but you'll never really be disappointed in them.
9. Be the person who gives second chances.
10. Trust, but verify.
11. Dance as much as you can.
12. Don't judge a book by its cover. Don't judge people by their outward appearances. Some are diamonds in the rough. Then again, some aren't.
13. Treat life as an adventure.
14. Do something fun every day.
15. Do a good deed every day. In the words of my mother, "The world doesn't revolve around you."
16. Remember to brush and floss after meals.
17. Take time to nap.
18. Take time to listen.
19. Never pass up a chance to eat a great meal.
20. If you have an opportunity to spend time with family and friends, take it.
21. Go to class reunions and family reunions. You may not care about that star quarterback or your annoying cousin Gertrude, but chances are, someone will be glad to see you. You might matter to someone more than you think.
22. Take risks.
23. Know what matters.
24. Have faith in a higher power.
25. Treasure quiet moments.
26. See the world.
27. Be informed - get your information from multiple sources and make up your own mind. Do the research.
28. Be a lover, not a fighter.
29. Be a student of life - learn something new every day.
30. Simple home-cooked meals are one of life's greatest pleasures.
31. A broken heart is not the end of the world. It's a chance to regroup.
32. Love, and allow yourself to be loved.
33. Sensible shoes aren't all that bad.
34. Get a dog.
35. Laugh. Every. Day.
36. Find a cause.
37. Hug every chance you get.
38. There is nothing better than knowing that you are loved.
39. Own a convertible, at least once.
40. March to the beat of your own drummer.
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