5 Ways To Love The Life You're In

Life is moving faster and faster lately. 

​Have you seen a hummingbird while it hovers? My life seems to be whipping by faster than hummingbird wings. 

​When you're a kid you don't think about the amount of time you have left in this place.   Right now, I'm pretty sure I've seen more days behind me than I have in front of me. 

I have to face the facts.  I'm giving a big wet kiss to 60 right now so I'm not even middle-aged anymore.  If you're an optimist you can believe that you'll get about ninety years.  My dad is going to be ninety this year. GO DAD!  Mom didn't get that many years.

I love learning about new things and learning about the world in general.  One way I learn is to listen to podcasts.  I love podcasts.  I'm not what you might call a self-improvement junkie but I like to see if I can pick up tips along the way. 

I just want to know how I can be the best Scott I can be.  

I was listening to Nancy Davis Kho's podcast the other day. Hi Nancy! Her podcast and blog, "Midlife Mixtape",  circles music and the middle years. Nancy talks about "thriving in the years between being hip and breaking one". I love that!   

Now that I've not in the middle years am I not allowed to listen to that podcast anymore? Again, my party, I'll listen if I want to. She has some great guests on her podcast. The last one I listened to involved a Chainstitch Wrangler called Kathie Sever. If you want to find out what a Chainstitch Wrangler is that a great place to find out! 

I love how Nancy always asks her guests "What was the first concert you went to and when?" My first was Peter Frampton, June 14, 1975 at San Francisco's Winterland and, yes, he did play "Show me the Way"  but that's a whole 'nuther story. 

Fortunately, I haven't yet broken a hip. Unfortunately, I don't think I've ever been hip. I'm not quite at the finish line yet but I'm not the spry young thing I like to remember myself being.  

When you look at life with the middle years in the rearview mirror, you realize there are only a certain number bullets left in your magazine but unlike the rifle-range, reloading isn't an option.

Some people measure those remaining years in the number of books that they can read, the places they can go, or myriad other things before the eyes dim and their living skills start slipping away. 

I've been thinking more in terms of paintings or artworks I can see or create before all my vigor has slipped through my fingers.  Picasso created more than 50,000 artworks in his life.  I haven't made the calculation yet but I don't think I have time to catch up.  He had a bit of a head start. I'm not giving up though.  

I've been thinking about how I can maximize the years left.  I worked out these five things that might help me get closer to being the best Scott I can be.  

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First - Have a target because if you don't have a target you just float endlessly on the ocean we call life.  But you can't make the target your master.  Make the goal your slave not your master.  If it doesn't serve you change, modify, or get out of the way.

Second - Do something every day to get where you want to be. Nothing happens without action. Again if you're not paddling - you're just floating.  Floating is good sometimes.  We all need some floaty time. 

Third - Realize I may never get there.  Sometimes your target changes. Sometimes the target changes when you're in your floaty time, sometimes when you're right in the middle of something the target disappears, or sometimes well you just had the wrong target.  In life, things change. That's part of the wonder of living. 

Fourth -  Make time for fun. All work and no play makes Scotty Boy a dullard. I make time to play. Golf, Guitar, and Gazing at the stars.  Oh yeah ... painting. 

Fifth - Be grateful every minute for all of it cause someday it'll be gone and you just never know when or where that will be. Just say it periodically during the day.  Set a timer. Say it out loud - say it to yourself.  I am grateful for... ​

Today I'm grateful for you...

Until next week - I wish you peace. ​