Inspiration Speaker Online

When I was a child, about eight or nine years old, I remember thinking that thirty years old was really, really old. However, the good news (I thought) was by the time I was thirty, I would know everything there is to know about everything.

Boy! I was wrong on both counts! As I prepare to celebrate my 59th birthday in a few days I realize thirty was not old. I also remember that when I was thirty I didn’t know everything about everything.

How old do you have to be to be officially old? Is it forty-nine, fifty-nine or one hundred fifty-nine. I don’t feel old. How is old supposed to feel, anyway? I’ve heard that “age ain’t nothing but a number”. I suppose it’s all about how we perceive ourselves and whether or not we choose to be old or not.

I’ve heard others say, “A woman should never reveal her age”. And, I’m aware of the age bias that most certainly exists in our society. However, I’m proud to have made it to 59. Many of my friends and loved ones did not make it to this day in 2009.

I love to repeat what I heard late comedian Richard Pryor say on one occasion. He said, “You don’t get to be old being no fool”. I take that to mean that with all the bad decisions and challenges I’ve dealt with over the years, I, somehow, must have been doing something right. I’m still here. And, if you are reading these words, you have been doing something right too. What if we replace the word old with the word wise? For instance — I am going to be 59 years

wise

. I like how that sounds.

So as we go forward into the wonderful year 2009, let’s start off by celebrating ourselves and all the things that we do right – celebrate everything that is right. Let’s celebrate our wisdom – our ‘wiseness’.

Go on now and have yourself a beautiful, happy, prosperous and glamorous new year. Yes, you, me, us –yes, we can do this. Look at how far we’ve already come. How many hurdles we’ve already jumped over and how many miracles we’ve already witnessed. Yeah, “age ain’t nothin’ but a number.” If I were to describe myself as a fine wine, I’d say that I’m still improving with age — distinctive, lively, darker colored — and a little ‘nutty’.

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