Time to Believe in Something By Your 50s

Whatever you can believe in -- find it!

Our generation (born in the 1960s) is believed to be part of the Post Modern school of thought, in philosophical terms. To summarize it, this means that, as a group, we do not believe in anything: not religion, politicians, preachers, even mathematicians and scientists. We do not believe that the grass is really green or that the sky is blue, in some cases, and to put it lightly we do not believe in much.

But, as we enter another phase of life, the one where we are getting on a bit -- it is time to start believing in something or else our golden years are going to be empty and meaningless. As a nation, though, we are a country that does not believe its Government, Media, Corporations, Charities, Armed Services, Police Departments, Fire Departments, Doctors, Lawyers, Hospitals, Judges, Schools and Teachers.

So, just what are we going to believe in and how, praise Jesus, are we going to buy some else's crap?

Each one of us can buy our own respective crap. I have a dream, no -- not like Martin Luther King, Jr.'s (though he had an awesome one). I dream of a day when my pasty old white ass is down in Florida in a retirement community with my honey next to me.

I believe that, once there, I am going to continue to live healthy, listen to my doctors, and find meaning in my life through dancing, cooking healthy, laughing often, going to shows, sports games and book readings. And, this is my field of battle -- this is where I will find meaning in my life and enjoy the journey.

Why Florida? Is there something special there: a guru, a magic fountain? No, I have arthritis and the cold weather makes my joints hurt a lot. Meaning is found wherever one lives, or can be. And, finding our own private truths are better than sitting around being cynical, smoking, watching television and drinking coffee.

Being cynical is easy -- nothing ever lets you down. So what did our Post Modern Generation believe in? I'm no expert, ladies and gentlemen, but I did live through it -- just like you -- so I suppose that allows me to take a guess.



The word 'workaholic' was minted during our generation.

Our generation believed in paying the damn mortgage, holding onto jobs that were disappearing so fast it made us nervous and scared, we believed no one would ever give us a break if we got caught short and that our kids had to get the life we never got. Meanwhile, we did our best to take care of our parents. We believed in holding this shit together as long as we could, knowing we may never retire or might well die of a heart attack, stroke or cancer long before our time. Simply, so many of us had neither the time or the inclination for anyone else's bull, by and large. It was us -- us and no one else -- that minted the term "workaholic"; that word never existed before us.

Well, I can already hear you saying, 'Horseshit. I'm too busy to find meaning in my own life, according to what I want and want to find out for myself.'

Did you just hear yourself?

So, the kids are grown. Maybe you're still fighting the fight. Perhaps you lost your 'real job' a few years ago during the "Crash of '09" and you're working at something you might have turned down as a kid in high school; maybe you held onto your job (praise Jesus). If you have a family and it's a good one then you are happy you invested in them and if not you've got to settle for being happy you woke up today.

But, everyone ends up needing to find joy and meaning in their life instead of just doing shit for other people or indulging in messed up, chronic habits. All that's going to do is turn you into a martyr. And, drinking and boozy friends are worse than just marking time. It's a curse; on you and your whole family.

Looking at this world anew again -- like you did when you were a kid -- doesn't make you less of an adult. It doesn't mean dementia is starting to settle in. It does mean you are looking at your life calmly and you ask yourself (and no one else): 'Okay, what now?'

This is the time to get rid of the smoking, the drinking, the over-eating, the over-spending, eating red meats, consuming too much dairy, the 'not making time for your spouse or significant other,' not doing things you dreamt of but have never done and/or simplifying your life and letting yourself enjoy your days and not rush through them to get to another day, to make another dollar.

There is only this life right now. So, why look for tomorrow to be happy when you don't even know if you have a tomorrow? Right now, make your life what you have been dreaming about for the last half-century. And, 50 years or more is, as life goes, a long-ass time to think about something. If you've been waiting 50 years to change yourself, it's high time that got done. Otherwise, when? When you're in a nursing home is too late, when you have tubes stuck up your nose (among other places) doesn't work either.

Seize this day and all the rest you have, cowboy or cowgirl. Be the person you have thought about being and find a way to make the next 30 years or so interesting for yourself. Don't be the one who becomes a miserable old, bastard because you waited so long to start putting the things you wanted to in life; when opportunities have passed you by for years and you did nothing about them.

You want to find a guy or gal? Great! Do it. You want to learn to finally dance awesome or learn to play the drums or trumpet? Wonderful! Do it. You want to be a sword swallower? ...Well...don't do that one, very little margin of error there. The learning curve is really narrow. But, you get the idea.

Don't spend a damn dime looking for what your next big chapter in your book is. Don't give any huckster one thin dime. Do it all yourself, talking with your significant other too. See, I started doing this, and took this attitude, and it really helped me out. And, I'm a broke ass old man so I didn't have money to piss away on some dumbass motivational speaker. I was my own motivational speaker. You can be too.

If you're happy then don't listen to me. If you wake up and every day is better than a dog licking you awake then God bless. But, if you are not getting what you can out of this old world, I'm just offering something for you to think about. Doing this helped me, maybe it can help someone else.

Anyhow, thanks for stopping by and -- as always -- seeya later, alligators.