I have never in my life, as far back as I can remember, been more at peace with myself and with the world than I am right now. Next month, I will be sixty and I do not know how sixty got here so fast. I thought it would take longer. I thought I would have all the answers by now.I don’t even have all the questions.

I remember sitting around the old folks as a child and listening to them talk. I loved the old stories and I heard them say many times that they could not believe how quickly they had gotten old. It seemed very odd to me at the time because my life seemed to be dragging along at a mind- numbing pace.

Here is the shocking thing about all this though: most all of those folks were younger then than I am now.

I do not feel old.

I have been very blessed. When I say that I have been blessed, I don’t mean that life has been easy. I don’t mean that there haven’t been failures, disappointment, and regrets. What I do mean is that looking back, I can see evidence of God watching over a flawed servant.

I do not own any rose colored glasses, and even though I do not believe I will ever change anyone’s mind, I do believe that I have a responsibility to try. That is as far as my responsibility goes. There are many things that I believe that do not need to be rehashed, so without becoming repetitive what common ground do we share?

I believe in a higher power, and I believe we all have to come to terms with that truth in this life or in the next one.

I believe evil exists.

I believe that our families are the most important thing we have on Earth. Everything else will rot.

I believe something is trying to destroy families and the lure of sin is the bait.

I believe even the very best of us are very flawed and we are a product of our past to some degree.

I believe that we each, individually, have a responsibility to help others. I do not believe in a collective mandate.

Along with everything that I believe there are so many things that I wish.

I wish that we were not so divided.

I wish that race did not matter and the longer you think about it, the sillier racism becomes. I did not always feel this way.

I wish that I had been better. I have worn many hats and even though I do not dwell on the past, I wish I had been better.

Now, here I am. And as I have become one of the “old folks” at the table telling the stories, I wonder if they were thinking what I am now? Is anyone listening?

It is a peculiar thing to pass into the next generation. There are no road markers and you are left wondering…. when did this happen? What advice would I have for the generation who has bumped me into my new position? Be patient because right now you are building who you will become. Find the Creator of the universe because He is waiting for you. I always told my children to pack their bags light because they will be carrying them their whole life. Watch others because you don’t have time to make all the mistakes. (The last piece of advice should be Earth- shattering, but it’s not.) We always make small things so much bigger than they should be because small things can cast such a long shadow. In my life, some of my worse fears did come to pass but in the end they did not consume me. Forgive. Start with yourself and work outward. That’s where peace comes from.

And, love your family.