What A Great Life, 50 & Counting

I sat on the front porch the afternoon of my 50th birthday this past May and reflected on what a great life I have had so far. I remembered with fondness my grade school years, milking cows before and after school each day, working for wages in the corn fields of Nebraska and being so very proud that I had earned enough money to not only buy my school cloths, but my first guitar too.

I remember working hard to pump that butter churn, taking turns cranking the ice cream maker at church socials, fishing, swimming, and imagining shapes in the warm summer clouds while lying on the velvet soft freshly mowed grass.

Shoveling snow in those cold mid-western winters and digging ice tunnels in the mounds of fresh plowed snow along the paths to school, building snow forts for our imaginary battles of honor, and the excitement of being able to make snow angles in fresh powder when school was called on account of winter weather. I recalled scrapped knees, tom boying around, becoming an awkward teen, going through my rowdy stage, entering the work force, getting married, and going to college.

I relished the memory of my grandfather preaching in church and treating us to Chocolate Soldiers at the local pharmacy. Thanked my departed mother for teaching me to cook, sew, and crocheting. I felt gratitude to my family for being living examples of honesty, integrity, faith, and for sharing wise counsel as I have grown through the years. Felt the sadness of loved ones lost tempered by the sweet memories of time they shared.

I considered how fortunate my life has been so far, blessed with so many good and loving people, blessed with health and a questioning mind, blessed with love both for and from others in my world. There have been set backs along the way, mistakes made, heartaches endured, but I wouldn't change a thing because good, bad, or mediocre all of those things have shaped who I am today.

I joke around a lot, poking fun at being a senior citizen now that I am 50, but I must say that I am pleased and thankful for my first 50 years. I look forward with great enthusiasm to as many more years as the good Lord chooses to bless me with, hopefully at least another 50 so I can share the blessings I have received!