This is my first foray into the blogosphere and writing for public consumption. Blogging appeals to my introverted nature because whatever opinions I share here won't have a direct negative impact on my small social circle in case I annoy any readers with my particular point on view on any given topic.
I'm in my mid 50s now. I think is natural that I have become more retrospective in my view of life. And I believe there are many of us fifty somethings who I categorized as "mid boomers" that are also taking stock of where they've been and what's ahead, even if we don't care to admit it. I know that fifty is the new forty, but we've still lost a step, and if you're are honest with yourself, the years passed much faster than you thought they would. Remember when you were sixteen and you just wanted to be older because "then we wouldn't have to wait so long"?
If you've begun to have the occasional revelation, like when you're mowing the grass or stuck in traffic, and some puzzling human behavior that has annoyed you all your life suddenly makes sense, then we have something in common. When we have those epiphanies, the kind where you say "It would have been nice to know this thirty years ago", nothing is more reassuring than to know you aren't the only one having them. And yes, it would have been nice to know the stuff we know now, when we were younger. But, it just doesn't work that way. Never has, never will. Zillions of folks have been here before. It's just our turn now. So part of the reason I'm giving this blog a shot is to see who else has arrived here, just because it's nice to know if find yourself wishing for a "do over" now and then, you aren't alone.
Another motive for my starting a blog is my personal quest for a civil dialog in the area of politics and social change. I've been getting in touch with some of my cousins via facebook in the past year (I have 45 first cousins). They are scattered about the country although the majority of them live in Southeast Wisconsin, where I grew up. I haven't seem most of them since the late 70's. Since I've lived in Arizona for thirty years, any contact has to be initiated by me. So facebook has worked well for that. And it has been nice catching up with most of my cousins. But, there are exceptions.
As one might expect, after thirty years and thousands of miles folks change, some more than others. My cousin John, who I looked up to when I was eight because he turned me on to the biggest untapped wild raspberry patch I'd ever seen in the woods on my uncle's farm, has become a rabid socialist who is incapable of having a civil conversation about much of anything if you aren't on board with his revolutionary agenda. All this is to say, if one is going to attempt restoring connections with folks from your past, be prepared for the occasional surprise, and sometimes a little disappointment. We all get older and most of us grow up, but some of us grow in different directions. So it's best not to set your expectations too high.
Peace out.
