Happy Birthday to You

Today is my birthday. I don't say that for accolades or greetings. I mention it as a reminder to myself, and hopefully you, that waking to another day, whatever our age, is a gift. Rarely has a day gone by in the past seventeen months since my uncle passed away that I don't list “another day” on my gratitude list. He was full of life and love, and losing him has reminded me how fortunate I am to have each day. And then today, I woke to the news of fifty-six-year-old Susan Wojcicki passing away. I didn't know Susan. I knew very little of her, yet she was someone who left this world too soon. As was thirty-six-year-old Sandra Massey and Alexey Navalny at forty-seven. The list could go on and on.

The funny thing about having another day is how easy it is to take it for granted. I am not immune to complaining about traffic, or the long line at the post office, or _____________. I am especially aware of these trivial complaints after meeting several wrongly convicted individuals who spent years in prison only to be released with joy and determination to help others. I have nothing less than awe and admiration for these incredible people. And they remind me that standing in a long line or having a bad day is not the worst circumstance.

Currently, the anti-aging market is valued at approximately 62.6 billion U.S. dollars. There is no such thing as anti-aging. We are all aging—every single day. Sure, I'm okay with slowing down the effects of aging, but there is no beating the clock. Unfortunately, social media, Hollywood, influencers, and the like are making us believe that we will never get old. Yet I'll take old, older, another day over the alternative.

So today, I challenge you to look around and consider what you might be taking for granted. What's on your bucket list that you need to reconsider? If you don't have a list, make one. There is no promise of tomorrow, so live your life. Today, Happy Birthday to you—even if it's the 237th day of your ___ year. Every day is worthy of a celebration. Cheers.

-trw