Well I hit 50 last week, and don't feel a day over 49.
50 year old short-comings - just for your reading pleasure:
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Don't take your children's sports too seriously. It's great when they are playing, and you feel better when they are doing well, but every kid in every sport goes through a spell where they seem to do everything wrong regardless of how talented they are, or how hard they try.... remember they are just young humans and prone to make mistakes.
A few years ago, Dustin, my second oldest, was one of the stars of his Midget A baseball team. His coach - Tom Richards, a very good man I might add - bent over backwards to make sure Dustin was at every game, went out of his way to slow down a suspension (that Dusty deserved) to make sure Dustin could play in the playoffs and Provincials. Dustin always did better when the pressure was on. He would have average regular seasons, but when Tourney's, Provincials and Playoffs came about, he excelled. In one particular season - his last in Midget, Dustin, had a decent season - hitting second best on the team, made very few errors and really went all out in the Quebec City tourney, hitting safely 11-14 with 2 additional walks, and one hit by pitch, so he ended up on base 14 times in 17 plate appearances.
So I had high hopes for Dustin in his first year of Junior BB ball. But Dustin met a girl, got a car and job and lost a bit of interest in baseball. As a result his season wasn't very good, and he ended up very stressed out.... but - upon reflection, I caused a ton of his stress by being both coach and father. I know Dustin is a talented athlete, but his lack of discipline and work-ethic that season got under my skin.... and as any coach is aware, the team success often becomes as important as your son.... big mistake!
I learned that the team is with me for one season, but my son is with me for a lifetime.
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At 40 years old, you feel like the world is waiting for you. Muscles and bones don't feel tight when you wake up or after a workout. Playing a weekend baseball tournament is commonplace, (so is the 24) and staying up late is a normal procedure. At 50 you still think the same way, but the physical part has changed!
I've realized that there is more junk in my trunk than there is under the hood (no not my ear-end! - well okay yes in the rear-end also,but I'm working on that!!!). In other words I've put more miles on - than there are still to come. Not that this bothers me, it really doesn't.
I love my life - could use more cash and investments (click on the ads and you'll help my financial life!) than I have, but all around, things are decent. I have a great job at the NRC (National Research Council) - a good bunch of kids and a great, intelligent wife.
Sure there are problems - there always are - but nothing that can't be talked out, or fixed.
Every day, I thank God for the life he's given me. I thank Him for allowing Alex to escape unharmed from that Bear-accident - 1 month ago. I thank Him for giving Dustin the wisdom to realize where he went wrong and the courage and tenacity to fix it. I thank Him for Seb, Sue and Lexy, and for Tyler - and his weird but great sense of humour. I thank Him for my wife who really took me out of a bad place and brought me back into the real world.
At 40, maturity seems to be natural, but wisdom it often lacking. How to deal with children's problems without seeming like an 'out-of-touch' old man has been an on-going issue in my life. At 40, this was a concern, - at 50 I've figured it out.
Alex always says I worry for nothing, but then again he's not a parent and until he is (better be a long way off buddy!!!), he can never understand the feelings that run through a parent regarding their offspring. They will eventually understand those feelings you get when things are not entirely under your control.
Anyways, these kids are lucky they have such a great Mom! She has always been my voice of reason and 'Island of Sanity'. So you guys can thank her for letting you go to the all-night movie marathons at the theatre - cause I would have slipped you a sleeping pill and carried you to bed by 10 PM those nights - okay not really .... a baseball bat works just as well and is a lot less costly! (I'm joking - just in case some left wing socialist decides to call Children's Aid).
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50 yr-old 'isms'
- Don't drink coffee after 4:00 PM unless you are planning to stay up late
- Calories are real
- A brisk 30 minute walk IS exercise
- Renovations never go as planned
- The Washing machine doesn't have legs - clothes don't either!
- Dishes don't wash themselves
- No matter how many things you fix, something is always broken
- Grass grows too fast
- Garden's don't grow fast enough
- Canadian Tire really is Man's Best Friend
- No matter how many tools I own, I always seem to be missing the one I need.
- Nothing makes a man happier than an 8 oz. Sirloin on the BBQ with a cold Keith's
- I can always be better
- I'm lucky, I still have hair
- I love living in Canada
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Lets see, how do I end this dribble?
I know!
THE END!
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