That Time of Year: We Meet Again

"It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.” Andy Rooney

Okay, they’re just a word and a number. The word can express hope or possibility. The number, as noted by Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam, can signify the end of an inning. But these days, when I type out the two partners that annually hook up on the calendar, I seem to give way more pause than usual…or even just 365-days ago.

I had an amazing uncle who, years ago, founded his own Tool and Die business from scratch; he was tough as nails.

And I once heard Garth Brooks describe a typical airport salutation from Billy Joel; and maybe Billy once greeted Uncle Bill with, “Don’t take no s**t” as well? But as Uncle Bill approached industrial numbers of candles on the cake (I’m getting closer to puffing out), he softened- and that used to scare me.

When I was a kid, it seemed like May 3 only arrived every Leap Year; seemed like the day, the party, and the gifts took forever to arrive. The calendar was loaded with holidays; my B-day was just one of them. Time passed very slowly; even summer vacation lasted so long, I couldn’t wait to get back to school.

As time passed (with the exception of four looong dental school years, captured by third party witnesses using time-lapse photography), the calendar moved on to Christmas, Easter, Birthday, USC Trojan Football. As I entered the Birthday-Birthday-Birthday years, I remembered tough-as-nails Uncle Bill shedding a tear when an Olympic figure skater landed on her butt. Seriously? I know it’s wrong, but the abrupt, unceremonious landings of the dolled-up competitors always brought a momentary inner chuckle.

And yeah, I know; I’ve been crying my eyes out for years every time I see Field of Dreams…but that’s different. And I know again, it’s just a freakin movie; about a voice, baseball…and fathers and sons.

My formula for staying young (in my own mind) has long been all about eating right, exercising, having purpose, and remaining as immature as possible. And as a small business owner, starting from scratch, just like my uncle, I’ve been soft for a long time. We list our core values on a white board in the lunchroom; I read them every day; our team sees them during every morning huddle. The first two values listed are Family and Fun. Maybe being empathetic, appreciative, and remaining young at heart (occasionally immature) are far from being mutually exclusive. And I do see my co-workers as family.

Anyway, a year ago today, our usual suspects golf foursome met for the first time in months; we wore masks, played without any practice whatsoever, and enjoyed a day in the sun. We talked some trash, hit some incredibly poor shots, and indulged in a few cold frosty beverages along the way. Having some fun amid the horror of a pandemic was good medicine on a birthday I’ll never forget.

When I got home, a little mutt that had growled at me in the past, was okay to let me pet him; brought a smile. Max’s owner, a dental assistant and friend for almost 18-years, was there for a nice visit; it was cool having a conversation and some laughs.

Maybe you’re a little like me, if the little stuff that brings a tear or helps you laugh, seems to be part of a prescription for surviving pandemics, facing business challenges, or “always looking on the bright side of life.”

Love you May Third.