Being 50 is hard ... and that's good!!!

"Your EKG test results look like the picture on the box!!!"

That's what my doctor told me at my latest physical.  Said at 50, I was in the shape of a 35 year old.
Exaggeration?  Prob'ly a little bit.  But I loved his point.

I had decided a few years ago, I may have to be "older guy", but I sure as hell don't have to be "older out of shape guy".  I changed the way I eat ... drink ... workout ... etc. 
It is surprising (amazing, actually) to me how many 20 and 30-somethings don't give a flip about staying fit and healthy ... while so many of us at 50(ish) do.

Started me thinking ...
Is it a "sense of desperation" about our ticking body clocks?  An attempt to cling to our youth?
For me, it's a little of that, but more of something else.  About 5 years ago, my attitude about life, the universe, myself, everything ... started changing.
From very wound up about it all ... very concerned with becoming who and what I thought others expected me to be ... into an acceptance of myself as I am. 

More than once, in the last few years, friends or family members have said to me something along the lines of ... "who ARE you, and what have you done to our uptight jerk of a friend, Rick?  You seem so much more laid-back about life!!"

At 50, I have boiled down into very simple terms who and what I am.  And I like it.  I am as comfortable in my skin as I have ever been.  I now realize what is important to me, and what is not.  What I need out of life, and what I don't ... in material terms, and in ways more ethereal.

Give me a fit and trim body ... simple, clean home ... comfy leather chair to watch my sports ... a pretty girl on my arm ... an occasional glass of wine with friends ... an adventure to look forward to (ziplining next week ... snorkelling trip next month) ... work that is fun and fulfilling and pays my bills ... lots of love, no hating ... and I'm happy.

You can keep the big house, big cars, lots of stuff, never-enough-time-for-fun, high-stress, high-cholestral life. 

It's true what they say ... life is too short.  But that's not a bad thought.  The point should be that life is a blessing.  A strange, wonderful, cosmic blessing.  Enjoy it.  Take a bite out of it and let it drip down your neck.  Be who you are.  Take care of yourself.  It can start from many different angles.  For me, it started with taking care of my body.  I didn't want to be flabby.  I wanted a "hard" body at 50.

Being 50 (for me) is "hard" ... but that's a good thing!!!