Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The Right Side

A long time ago, when I was at that stage which is more or less legally an adult but mostly as a matter of technicality, I worked at a quite marvelous place with some people who were really, truly, most definitely adults. From time to time they would shake their heads and say things like, "You are *so* young," and at others they would mention the joys of being on the *right* side of five-and-thirty, and then they would launch into such pearls of wisdom as can only be attained with advancing age.

Well, now I am on the right side of five and thirty, though they would probably now announce that fifty is the age at which true wisdom is known. Nonetheless, I think I've attained a measure of maturity, such that people never marvel at my youth anymore. I can find gray hairs and wrinkles, if I look closely, so I don't look closely.

I was going to write a blog post up with thirty-five things I have learned in life, but I couldn't come up with that many. Make of it what you will. Mostly, I think I have learned what I don't know. And that is a list that would not stop at thirty-five items.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't worry - it gets better. For instance, I have learned that it is surprisingly difficult to be a boy wonder after you have passed fifty.

Brandy Vencel said...

Welcome to 35. :)

And many happy returns of the day.

Diary of an Autodidact said...

I love how you put that. I too have found that I know far less at 37 than I did at 27, which was already less than I did at 17.

Amy K said...

Yes, I completely agree that as you age, a sign of maturity is realizing there's so much you don't know. Congrats on 35 years well lived and may the next 35 be the best yet.

Wendy said...

Happy Birthday!!