Today we went to church with the whole family. Needless to say, we were late again and this time it was bad because we walked in and the sermon had already started. It was also fitting how the sermon was about "Age is an issue of mind over matter." Today, I grow another year older and hopefully a little bit wiser too.
Remember Patrick Ewing's number? That's how old I am today, 33. I wish life could stay at a standstill. Life is good right now. The kids don't know how to crawl and run yet, they still sleep often, and my body still allows me to play hockey.
I hope I have another 33 years in me but no one knows. I remember Steve Jobs saying "death is most likely the single best invention in life... it's life's changing agent.....it cleans out the old to make way for the new....so don't waste your time living someone else's dream...." I think that's true except, sometimes it doesn't hit home until the end is near, and by that time it's too late.
I've always said to myself, raising kids will show just how much of a man someone is. It's not how many girls a man can attract, how physically strong a man is, or how much money he makes. A man to me, is how responsible he is with raising his family and kids. Having kids will show just how much of a man someone is.
A lady came up to me at the mall, after seeing me feeding both kids in their stroller.
"You look like a good Father."
"I try"
"Are they twins?"
"Yes two girls."
"Your wife is lucky. My daughter has twins too but the father is not around. He's not invovled. He's not a good man."
"Oh, sorry to hear."
"Yeah, I just hope she can meet someone good."
"I'm sure she will."
The first 32 years of my life was about me mostly. Now at 33 until the end, the focus has changed to my kids as it should be. The two kids that lay before me, this will be my life project. I hope to show them what this world has to offer, how to be a good citizen to society, and to follow their dreams. They don't need to be doctors, lawyers or anything like that because I don't think that's life's goal. I do hope they are not lazy, that they work smart, and that they find their passion in life. I hope they find genuine happiness and they make good choices in life. That's all I can really ask for.
So today I turn 33, but I feel like my life has only just begun. The true happiness I find is the time I spend with Quynn, Jayde , Brix and my wife of course. The older I get, the more I find happiness in those close relationships. I have less focus on having a powerful career, making a 6 figure income and wanting that luxury car I wanted as a kid. I'm not saying those things are bad, but stripped down to it, those things don't matter. It's not what makes me a man.
When Quynn rolled over for the first time, man that was amazing. When Jayde starts to mumble and and tries to talk, that's crazy good. When I see the kids developing, that's life, that's what's living is about. Call me an old sap, but that's what happens when you see the cycle of life. I've seen big tough hockey guys in the locker room, talking smack but once they talk about their kids, they are a totally different being, all soft on the inside, and always happy to talk about their kids. That's just the effects of having kids does. I can't explain it any more.
I turn 33 today with many hopes there will be more to come. I hope you all out there find your true source of happiness, it's what drives us to do the things we do. If you haven't found it yet, is something stopping you?
No comments:
Post a Comment