The 59th Year Bridge Song...

It’s my birthday this week! And if you do the math, you’ll know that makes me a LEO! Shocker, I know.

I’m always a bit contemplative during my birthday month, and this year is no different. In fact I think I am even more so. I turn 59 years old on Friday. Which means my 60th year actually begins on Saturday. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this…What is happening???

Thus far I have felt pretty good “getting old.” I’ve lived a good life filled with magical moments and miraculous experiences too numerous to count. I’ve been blessed with great love, and have known great loss (which can only come because of great love). I’m in great shape physically, have wonderful old friends and exciting new ones, and still manage to squeeze out some crazy adventures along the way.

I don’t feel comfortable claiming “sage” wisdom. Because the most significant existential realization I have experienced came relatively recently, and makes me feel more childlike rather than wizened: I am a mortal being with a physical shelf life. It’s not maudlin or tragic, because it just IS.

It would be a low-hanging fruit for me to fire off the wisdom tropes of this insight, like “life is short so savor every moment.” I cannot claim to live this way, however, so will refrain from urging you to “do as I say, not as I do…”

Instead, I’ll just share with you that my dream is to reach my physical life’s end — whether it’s tomorrow or years ahead — with a profound gratitude and awe for the countless riches of a life well-lived — of MY life well-lived.

And here’s the thing. In order for me to have that gratitude and awe at my life’s physical end, I must have it RIGHT NOW, because I don’t know whether it is tomorrow or. years ahead.

And so during my contemplative week, I’ll just share my urgent wish for us all: May we ALL experience “zero wait time” for knowing the miracle of our life RIGHT NOW.

No line jumping necessary.

Rev. Rob Banaszak “The Spiritual SPINister”