Is There an Art to Growing Up?

"You can't helping getting older, but you don't have to get old!"
George Burns

It's Sunday morning, and I rolled out of bed knowing exactly what I wanted to write about:

What does it mean to "grow up?"

We spent a good part of yesterday at the beach, and I'm paying for it in aches and pains this morning. I played in the waves for over an hour. The waves were big enough for the lifeguard to put out the yellow caution flag, and like a little kid, I body-surfed one after another, each time trying to ride them all the way in until I scraped the sand and rocks at the shoreline.

Sheila took a shot at joining me, but the waves knocked her over. My height gave me a big advantage, so I stayed in the water. She did the next best thing and put her beach chair at the water's edge. With her feet in the water, she laughed through my entire performance as an old fart relived his childhood one wave at a time.
 
Well, this morning I woke up and immediately grabbed the Tramadol, fully knowing why I was in so much pain, but it wasn't enough to change the smile on my face. You'd think Alfred E Neuman and Peter Pan were both in my gene pool.

Here's my point this morning: Who said we have to act our age?

A few years ago Sheila and I were out with good friends, and another couple joined us for dinner. The new couple, who were our age, did nothing but complain about their aches and pains, talk about the medication they were on and pretty much whined about getting older through the entire evening. Listening to them they could have easily been twenty years our senior.

Growing up is a mindset, and for me, part of the process might even be genetic. My Dad lived to 93, and while he obviously slowed down, it wasn't until his body started to fail him at 92! He loved life, and whatever he could still do, he did, including double onion rings at Burger 1 on Wednesdays.

So, this morning's post is a tribute to all of you who still embarrass your kids with your behavior; who push the edge of the envelope in your passion for life, friendships and experiences and most of all who laugh loud and smile at the most inappropriate times.

My good buddy Terry Clark put his love for life into a quote that's his philosophy about life and business...

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Smile big, laugh hard, and make people happy!

Wishing everybody a wonderful Sunday, and a day filled with love, laughter and the pure joy of being alive, no matter how old you are! Take the time to laugh, go for those eleven-second hugs and cherish the people around you who help to make your life special!

Happy Sunday everybody!

"You don't stop laughing when you grow old. You grow old when you stop laughing!
George Bernard Shaw