Thankful for my life

Today,  July 15, I am thankful for my life.

This is the final post in my series on being thankful. As I wrote at the beginning of this, I don't know exactly why the idea for a series on thankfulness came to me, but I'm glad I've followed up on it. I can always use a reminder that being intentionally thankful serves me well. Hopefully this series has been a good reminder to you as well.

Today is my birthday. I am now 54 years old. My favorite line in The Grateful Dead's classic song, "Truckin,'" states, "What a long, strange trip it's been." I'll paraphrase that by saying that the trip to 54 has been quick and at least often unexpected, if not outright strange. I'm thankful to be the age that I am. I've never been a person who complained about birthdays. Frankly, that has always struck me as ridiculous, stupid even. I'll take every birthday I can get.

But my thankfulness goes beyond the fact that I've had a lot of birthdays. Plenty of people have been allowed far more birthdays then I've known to this point. The quality of my years rather than just the quantity is what holds my focus now.

As I have written in a previous post, I'm very drawn to the future, not very interested in the past. I'm excited about what is ahead for me, the opportunities and challenges that will allow me to grow and become a more fully-formed, fully-alive human being. But I'm also appreciative for the journey up to this point. Although not all of it has been enjoyable, and some of it was hellacious at times, I've still been able to learn something from every experience.

I have been blessed to be married for 32 years now...to the same woman. Not a lot of people get to say that. We still love each other, still like being with each other, we still laugh together. I have a wonderful daughter who inspires me to be a better, more compassionate person. I get to do work that challenges me, that gives me a sense of contribution, that reminds me of the value of humanity.

I still get to speak to a variety of audiences on a variety of topics. This has not been without a price, as there have been a few along the way who have tried to block my opportunities to fulfill my calling and use my voice. They haven't succeeded. I'm still here. I still speak, teach, preach. And I will continue to.

As my dad told me years ago could be the case, the circle of those who are truly close to me and know me well at this point in life is smaller than I thought it would be. I count this as a good thing as well. I'm acquainted with many people, most of whom I am on friendly terms with. But, there is that small group of just a few who know me warts and all, and who remain. They are friends who are family. Making the journey with them has been and remains a huge blessing.

Finally, I am thankful that I come to this point in life still holding on to my faith, or it holding on to me. As I wrote the other day, my faith looks very different than it did years ago, full of far more questions and far less certainty. But a man of faith I remain. As my favorite hymn by a certain Irish bar band says, I still haven't found what I'm looking for. But I also believe that the One who years ago began a good work in me will complete that work and my search will be complete.

I am a thankful man.