How Old Are YOU?

People look at me and do what Malcolm Gladwell made lots of money writing about. In a "Blink," they judge and feel they know me.

Never mind, they do it to you as well.

What is so funny is that you line up six persons and you behave in the same way and each of them might sum you up differently. Why is that so?

Perception based on their, not your, past experiences.

Some might look at me and think I smile a lot, while a young lady who I am not particularly fond of her gossiping told me the other day that she would love to see me smile more.

Others see me and decide that I am cold. Then ask some of the visitors in the Big House how I struck them and you might hear "very warm."

They say a leopard never changes its spots. Being as I am not a zoologist I do not know. What I do know from my own experience is that while I still have those spots from my past, they were never who I am.

It has been a four step journey to Me so far and something tells me that "it ain't over." Thus far, I have:

1. Accepted who I was along the way. All the mistakes, missteps, misdemeanors that I made and took had to be acknowledged and accepted before I could go deep. As with everything, this is a continual process as I mess-up daily.
2. Come to Know Whose I am and how I want to be in the world. This was an important next step for me. I tried to be many things and greatly so - wife, mother, friend, colleague, employee, employer, neighbour, etc. Yet, it was not until my 40's did I say @$%& that and started simply being the greatest Me. That came about when I embraced my Source in a way that went beyond churches, books, theories and personalities. I arrived at a personal relationship with It that I deem my raison d'etre and that freed me from being what the world prescribed.

Now, I am living from that my Truth (#3) and whether it pleases some, none or all matters not to me. I dress and spend how I want. I love wastefully starting with me. Rumi wrote, "let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love."

I am drawn daily towards Step #4 - Enjoying my life.

In exactly 25 days from now, I will be celebrating 50 years of my arrival here. If I were any happier it would be a crime! I know who I am, what I want, with whom I love spending time and the things that I will and absolutely will not do.

Years ago, I thought it ridiculous when people would say that life begins at 40, 50, 60 or whatever age they were. It is not ridiculous but inaccurate. Life becomes totally enjoyable when you start living as You - however that looks, whatever the circumstances of that life.

That's my story and I am loving it!

What about you? How many years have you been here? Are you enjoying your life yet? Share your story with me here or on my page. Prefer privacy? Then email me.

Do enjoy the rest of the day at least!