Today is my birthday.
The first birthday I’ve ever spent in the U.S.
The first birthday I’ve had with Barry as my partner… and that perk came complete with a full weekend of celebration, a nice dinner, some wine, and several beautiful presents that I’m very grateful for.
And yes, I’ve been loving every minute of it.
I remember a few years ago, a co-worker of mine who turned 25 said something to the effect of, “When you get to be my age, you don’t count the birthdays anymore.” And of course he was more than 10 years younger than me when he said it.
Not only that, but I had asked him if he was going to use a “personal day” (days off that we had to use or else lose) for his birthday, and he knew that I had done that on mine… so his answer didn’t make sense, because if I was still celebrating birthdays at my age, why shouldn’t he be at his?
Well, it’s mostly about the mindset.
I find a lot of people put a big weight on their age, and they allow the numbers to affect how they feel.
For me, I focus on how I feel first.
I’m constantly being told that I look younger than I am.
And the reason for that is, I feel younger than I am.
Yes, just like with manifesting anything you want… the feelings are really key to creating the outcome.
Because I feel 10 years younger than I am, people often think I’m 10 years younger than I am.
I never say anything like, “I’m getting old,” or “I feel old,” which I constantly hear even 21-year-olds say.
Why?
Because you create your reality.
Saying, “I feel old,” and really feeling old, will ensure you are old.
Since visiting the States numerous times over the past six months, I have been carded at restaurants more times than I remember.
In Las Vegas, when the doorman at Coyote Ugly asked to see my ID, I asked him how old you have to be… and he said gruffly, “21 to get in, but you have to show ID until you’re 40.”
“Oh, then next year I won’t have to,” I said, with a twinkle in my eye.
He did a double take, looked again at my ID, did the math, and said, “You’re kidding!”
People have been looking for the fountain of youth for years. Centuries, actually. And all along, it was inside them… just like the ability to create your world.
It’s literally about being young at heart.
This may be the only place on the web where you’ll see my real age, because I don’t encourage focusing on numbers and often play with the year on things like my MySpace profile… but I’m now 39, just one year shy of the next big milestone.
And I intend to keep thinking young, and feeling young, for years to come… in the spirit of this quote, from Alphaville, one of my favorite bands from my teenage years:
“Youth’s like diamonds in the sun,
And diamonds are forever.”
And just for a little nostalgia, here’s the video:
The key is, when watching old videos, don’t think, “This makes me feel old,” or “I’m showing my age.” Just listen in the spirit that you did then… the spirit of being Forever Young.
After all, speaking of spirit… several years on earth is just a short blink when you look at the big picture of what your spirit has lived and experienced.
Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life
Happy (belated) birthday!
Hank
Happy (belated) birthday! I missed reading your blog on the actual day even though it’s by far my favorite. You have such a great way and ability to get to the core of things. I love your outlook on life. Your post reminds me of “A Birthday Affirmation” by Martha Smock:
Let us not think of our life in terms of a brief span of years; let us not be limited by the age idea. Let us not feel that we are either too old or too young to do the things we want to do, to accomplish what we want to accomplish.
Let us step out of the thought of age and remind ourself that we are neither old or young, that we are Spirit, ageless, deathless, eternal.
We live in the eternal present. Our ideal time of life is now, not yesterday or tomorrow. Our ideal self is not what we were or what we may hope to be. Now are we alive, now are we Spirit, now are we filled with God’s life and energy and power.
On our birthday let us think in terms of spiritual newness. Let us say to ourself as a birthday blessing and a birthday affirmation: “I am neither old nor young. I am Spirit.” And let us bless others with this idea. Let us not limit ourself, let us not limit others. Let us live in a spirit of newness and life, day after day.
Dear Heather Happy, prosperous, healthy birthday & many happy returns
>Shintaro
@#$@%@#$ dang bern it.. I forgot to say something on the the other day. I noticed it was your birthday and got so caught up in “I’ll finish this and that and then wish Heather a happy birthday” and then… Today is here that I remember.
Happy Birthday Heather!!!!