The other day I achieved one of my goals, which was to reach my 40th birthday and as with many people it has given me reason to pause and reflect.
All things considered 40 years really is quite a while to gather information, as many an undercover agent will tell you, however in the grand scheme it is but a planck length.
And so it is that I must stress to you all that what appears below is of course not an exhaustive list, neither is it all wholly serious – by golly I’ve learned at least that in all this time – so take what you want from this incomplete bunch of thoughts, opinions and rants. I know I have…
Oh and thank you for everything – my birthday itself was 110% lovely and I’m enjoying this surprise holiday THOROUGHLY!
My reflections are thus:
1. The world keeps changing and yet it also stays the same
2. It’s good to travel – it gains you perspective and helps ground you at the same time
3. People will let you down – those you thought were close to you and those in the public sphere
4. People will amaze you with their acts of kindness, particularly those you already thought could do no more
5. Age does not bring wisdom to all – choose wisely who you pay attention to
6. A scattered approach does not a good plan make – get organised, make lists, do the tasks on the lists, tick them off in a satisfied manner when you do them
7. People are basically good
8. People usually look after their own interests first
9. Animals get a raw deal – go veggie and take care of any creatures you can
10. Childcare means very different things to different people
11. Be willing to get your hands dirty
12. Stereotypes can be helpful, but they can also confuse and be downright lies
13. Watch Star Trek – everything you need to know about life is in there
14. All you need is the air that you breathe
15. We’re not all living in space and flying around in rocket cars as I hoped we would be by now – humans don’t apply themselves – instead they make clever YouTube videos
16. War doesn’t determine who is right, only who is left
17. Have a child to gain a chance at looking afresh at the world through their eyes
18. Bad customer service really stinks
19. Road signage can be very poor, causing many problems and it seems to be getting worse the more we rely on technology
20. Take time to enjoy your surroundings whether they be town or country, home or away – there’s always something new and absorbing if you just take pause
21. Never be bored – there really is no need if you have either good company or imagination – its not at all difficult to interact with a fellow being or make up silly poems in your head
22. Think politics at least to some degree – if your voice stays quiet on voting day then you must keep it quiet if you ever want to moan about your government
23. Be kind
24. Be funny
25. Read
26. Read
27. If you have a dream go for it – do not play down your potential or your dream with evaporate
28. The world is largely hypocritical, saying one thing while doing another – let’s watch Peppa Pig while tucking into a nice plate of sausages
29. Halloween has become incredibly scary and it seems acceptable to strike fear into little children’s hearts with genuinely horrifying masks and terribly morbid subjects
30. Innocence is being eaten away – prolong it while you can – be a child and help keep children as children
31. They fuck you up, your mum and dad
32. Mainstream schooling is not the only way to go
33. Be accepting of things you cannot change
34. Support small businesses and distrust all large businesses, while of course using the latter and exploiting them to your advantage
35. Carve wood – it is good for the soul
36. Donate and sponsor someone or something somewhere
37. It’s not worth getting worked up over little things
38. It’s worth getting worked up over medium to large things
39. Although this life is one of many and the universe is much deeper than we can fathom, go forth as though you only have one shot
40. Impart any half decent knowledge you have before you pass on and perhaps, just perhaps, who knows but maybe in another 40 years we really will all be dressed in silver outfits, driving flying cars and living on other planets…
Happy Birthday 🙂
I Am Iamhanuman's Blog 
Happy birthday 🙂 thanks for sharing your earned wisdom.
Thank you. Please share your own! 🙂
iamhuman – You are wiser than I, as I never reflected on my 40th birthday. That was nearly four years ago. I simply cried that I was as old as my mother was when I said to her as a child “My God you’re so old!” Please allow me to be the presumptuous egomaniac of a writer that I am and use your list for my own insights.
1. The world stays the same-we gain and lose a variety of perspectives along the way.
2. Traveling will demonstrate to us that we have more in common with other people than we could have possibly imagined was the case, especially if we rely on the news.
3. People will let you down, and tear your heart out.
4. People will amaze you with their acts of kindness, particularly those you thought had given enough.
5. Age does not bring wisdom to all – choose wisely who you pay attention to.
6. A scattered approach is the sign of a creative mind. Discipline gathers the pieces together somewhere down the line. Trust the process. Don’t make lists. You’ll forget where you put them.
7. Many people are good, but there is evil in men’s souls (and women’s too).
8. Fight the urge to care for your own first. It’s in our nature, but we’re all the same at our core.
9. Animals suffer from our gluttonous consumption. You will be judged by how you treated the creatures of the Earth. You shake the universe with the splat of an insect.
10. Childcare means very different things to different people and so does house cleaning.
11. Get your hands dirty.
12. Stereotypes are rooted in truth from the past, but you need not subscribe to them. Be the change you want to see in the world (That sentence, of course, is plagiarized).
13. Don’t fear plagiarism. Being copied is the ultimate compliment. There are no new ideas.
14. Watch Star Trek – everything you need to know about life and a better future is in there.
15. Humans waste great innovations until leaders show them how not to.
16. War determines the victor who then determines history.
17. Be childlike and respect a child’s point of view, for it is closer to God.
18. Bad customer service really stinks and something smells rotten in Denmark (an most other places)
19. Exponential population growth is destroying our planet. We need a plague or a plan.
20. If you can’t enjoy the moment, then you’re entire life is fucked.
21. Boredom is for the weak minded. Life and people provide too much fodder for story telling.
22. Change politics. Every incumbent in the western world is corrupt.
23. Be kind.
24. Be funny.
25. Question everything – for most of it is made up by another human just like you.
26. Read, Read, Read! For God’s man! Read more books and articles than you write.
27. If you have a dream go for it even though you probably will fail. Remember it’s the journey that matters
28. Human beings are hypocrites. Nature has integrity.
29. Stop coddling children. Grimm’s Fairy Tales are awfully scary. Not everyone is a winner. In fact, nobody escapes life unscathed or alive. The children of today will be the scarred, imperfect humans we see today.
30. Strive to be childlike not childish.
31. Mom and Dad did the best they could do with what they were given, and chances are they fucked you up, but after 40, that’s no longer an acceptable excuse for anything.
32. Mainstream schooling is an outdated construct and a wretched failure. If you have children, home school them if you want them to learn anything of value.
33. Be accepting of things you cannot change.
34. Charity begins at home. Wal*Mart is the devil.
35. Carve wood – it is good for the soul. Don’t use a chisel if you’re a novice or clumsy.
36. Volunteer your time. It’s worth more than money or gifts because nobody else wants to do it.
37.Get worked up over little things, medium things, big things. There is too much apathy in our world.
38. Do what you can. Even small steps make a difference. Don’t hoard things.
39. Although this life is one of many and the universe is more than our petty minds can fathom, go forth in this focus as though you’ve got one shot.
40. Be interesting so that somebody else wants to listen to you. Perhaps someone will stand on your shoulders one day, as I have done to iamhuman’s brilliant original list and add something of value. Maybe one day we will fold space and time to prove there is more in Heaven and Earth than was dreamt of in our stone age philosophy.
Phew! I take that as a massive compliment. Many thanks indeed.
Your list is every bit as worthy as mine and indeed it matters not whether you produced it through the tears of your 40th or when you’re 44 and five and a half months old. It matters only that you share.
A gigantic thank you and never worry about getting older – its better than the alternative 🙂
Iam
Reblogged this on You Push and I Pelt and commented:
iamhuman is wiser than I, for I did not reflect on my 40th birthday nearly four years ago. I simply cried that I was old. I howled when I realized I was older than she was when, as a child, I remarked to her “40? That’s old!”
Please allow me to be the presumptuous egomaniac writer I am and use your list for my own insights.
1. The world stays the same-we gain and lose a variety of perspectives along the way.
2. Traveling will demonstrate to us that we have more in common with other people than we could have possibly imagined was the case, especially if we rely on the news.
3. People will let you down, and tear your heart out.
4. People will amaze you with their acts of kindness, particularly those you thought had given enough.
5. Age does not bring wisdom to all – choose wisely who you pay attention to.
6. A scattered approach is the sign of a creative mind. Discipline gathers the pieces together somewhere down the line. Trust the process. Don’t make lists. You’ll forget where you put them.
7. Many people are good, but there is evil in men’s souls (and women’s too).
8. Fight the urge to care for your own first. It’s in our nature, but we’re all the same at our core.
9. Animals suffer from our gluttonous consumption. You will be judged by how you treated the creatures of the Earth. You shake the universe with the splat of an insect.
10. Childcare means very different things to different people and so does house cleaning.
11. Get your hands dirty.
12. Stereotypes are rooted in truth from the past, but you need not subscribe to them. Be the change you want to see in the world (That sentence, of course, is plagiarized).
13. Don’t fear plagiarism. Being copied is the ultimate compliment. There are no new ideas.
14. Watch Star Trek – everything you need to know about life and a better future is in there.
15. Humans waste great innovations until leaders show them how not to.
16. War determines the victor who then determines history.
17. Be childlike and respect a child’s point of view, for it is closer to God.
18. Bad customer service really stinks and something smells rotten in Denmark (an most other places)
19. Exponential population growth is destroying our planet. We need a plague or a plan.
20. If you can’t enjoy the moment, then you’re entire life is fucked.
21. Boredom is for the weak minded. Life and people provide too much fodder for story telling.
22. Change politics. Every incumbent in the western world is corrupt.
23. Be kind.
24. Be funny.
25. Question everything – for most of it is made up by another human just like you.
26. Read, Read, Read! For God’s man! Read more books and articles than you write.
27. If you have a dream go for it even though you probably will fail. Remember it’s the journey that matters
28. Human beings are hypocrites. Nature has integrity.
29. Stop coddling children. Grimm’s Fairy Tales are awfully scary. Not everyone is a winner. In fact, nobody escapes life unscathed or alive. The children of today will be the scarred, imperfect humans we see today.
30. Strive to be childlike not childish.
31. Mom and Dad did the best they could do with what they were given, and chances are they fucked you up, but after 40, that’s no longer an acceptable excuse for anything.
32. Mainstream schooling is an outdated construct and a wretched failure. If you have children, home school them if you want them to learn anything of value.
33. Be accepting of things you cannot change.
34. Charity begins at home. Wal*Mart is the devil.
35. Carve wood – it is good for the soul. Don’t use a chisel if you’re a novice or clumsy.
36. Volunteer your time. It’s worth more than money or gifts because nobody else wants to do it.
37.Get worked up over little things, medium things, big things. There is too much apathy in our world.
38. Do what you can. Even small steps make a difference. Don’t hoard things.
39. Although this life is one of many and the universe is more than our petty minds can fathom, go forth in this focus as though you’ve got one shot.
40. Be interesting so that somebody else wants to listen to you. Perhaps someone will stand on your shoulders one day, as I have done to iamhuman’s brilliant original list and add something of value. Maybe one day we will fold space and time to prove there is more in Heaven and Earth than was dreamt of in our stone age philosophy.
Sorry for some reason this was down as an unapproved comment!!
Just remedied that error 🙂
Blog more frequently!
Life, sir. Life takes precedenza. But will try to do a few more 🙂
The mavens of blogging have rules on how often. Even a few lines ever day is better than long periods of inactivity. Just a pensee;)
Mavens shmavens 🙂
Bet you had to look up mavens, Goy Boy!
I know sir, but my blog is not for the masses, nor to seek celebrity. I’m content with a few select readers 🙂
Best answer, write for yourself.