Hello 43!

Each year of life is filled with many moments, woven into the large tapestry of our existence. The threshold of entering new decades has never been a good feeling for me. When my age changed from 39 to 40, I suddenly felt old on the outside, but not mentally. Now I'm entering my third year of my 40's and have learned to accept aging as a natural process of life. Each healthy year is really a gift, a new chance to make lasting memories, new connections, and learn how to better love and appreciate the people who matter and support you most in life. I can say the best part of getting older is the ability to focus on what's important, and not worry so much about the small things in life. There are not enough hours in the day to have so many negative thoughts and stresses, and in the end such a calm disposition leads to both internal and external balance. I've felt it in my own life. Equally important is to realize you will sometimes fail, for we are all flawed human beings, and to expect perfection from yourself or others is unrealistic and a recipe for bitterness, which I think is one of the most unhealthy human emotions. It's better to simply let nature takes its course, because there is always a lesson to be learned from the struggle.

I'm looking forward to many more years, colors and hues added to life's canvas. In the end, I really hope to leave a beautiful tapestry, a legacy and life filled with a lot of  touching moments and adventures, interesting stories and human connections that last long after I fade from existence.

Tomorrow I'll board a plane to Montana, and my first journey of the year begins. But today I celebrate turning 43! Let's hope it's a good year...