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It is 2:00 on a Thursday. No, not 2:00 in the afternoon. I’m upstairs in my office writing what you are now reading. You might ask, “Why are you writing at 2:00 in the morning?” The real question is, “Why am I up at 2:00 in the morning?” Well, I think it has something to do with my age. It’s definitely not the coffee. Maybe it is the fear that we might have bad weather. It is raining outside, but not like we had expected. Considering that Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana last night, it’s not bad here in Central Alabama. I hear my windchimes on the back porch, but it is a slow, soft melody they are playing. The wind is barely blowing. 

They say 60 is the new 40. I guess they say that because we live longer these days. We are also much healthier (and perhaps more immature) than people used to be at 60. I do know for certain that 60 is not nearly as old as it once was. Back when I was 30, 60 was old. Now that I’m staring at 70 and wondering what happened, 60 is young, and 30, well that must be the new teenage years. Now, old doesn’t start until somewhere around 90.

I used to hear people say, “Life begins at 40…it begins to go downhill.” Things begin to hurt that we used to not even know we had! Body parts that once worked well, have retired! Honestly, I enjoyed really good health until I hit 60, so maybe 60 really is the new 40. That being said, if 60 is the new 40, then midnight must be the new 9:00! I think now I’m beginning to understand why I’m up at 2:00 in the morning. I turned in at 9:00 last night. Lately, I go to bed at 9:00 almost every night. When I was younger, I was a night owl. I rarely called it a day before midnight. Midnight is the official ending of each day, so I guess I thought let’s get everything we can out of this day before we start on a new one. Back then, I could sleep in until 10:00 if I had the opportunity. I rarely had that opportunity, but I could easily hang in there until 7:00 or 8:00…could and did. But these days, while I am still barely enjoying the new 40s, 7:00 would be sleeping in. I used to require eight, or maybe even nine hours each night. If I get six these days, I’m happy and not too cranky the next day. Well, don’t ask Jean about that last part…she might not agree.

They say that life makes a cycle. That we become like a child again when we get older. Perhaps so, I have noticed myself doing some childish things lately. When I was a child, before my teenage years, I remember my bedtime being 9:00…except on Tuesday nights. Mom let me stay up and watch The Fugitive on Tuesdays and it didn’t go off until 10:00. So, I’ve come full circle and back to going to bed at 9:00 most nights. The Fugitive doesn’t come on anymore.

Well, it’s almost 4:00 now, and I’ve rambled on long enough. I’ve reached my word count, plus I’m getting a little tired. I think I’ll go back to bed and sleep in…maybe until 7:00! Oh, wait, I can’t sleep that late, I’ve got early pickleball this morning! Life is good and God is great, even in my 40s and at 2:00 in the morning! Have a blessed day!