Saturday Musings - Birthday Reflections

Birthday Reflections...

Yep, you read that heading correctly, it’s my birthday today. I’m fifty-four years young, fighting fit (well, sort of) and feel just as energized now as I was thirty years ago. The big difference is I now have a LOT more perspective on life and in particular, what really matters.

At my birthday time, I began to reflect on my life and just how blessed I am. My wife and kids are completely awesome and we’re all healthy. I have a fantastic business in an even more incredible industry. I have friends across the world and can jump on a plane to meet with them whenever I would like. The list goes on and on…..

I remember when I was a teenager my goal was to become a millionaire. I met the girl of my dreams, got married at twenty-one and discovered that with her I was worth far more than a million dollars….I’d discovered something priceless.

This sounds so touchy feely but it’s a real fact of my life. I’ve been married for thirty-two years (thirty-three this year) and I can say that I’m more in love with my wife now than I was when we were first married.

Late one night at the NamesCon conference I was sitting in the bar with a group of people and one of them asked me how is it that I’m so happily married. I will condense a long conversation in one sentence, “Seek first to serve, rather than be served.”

In other words, I try to do everything I can to find out what would make my wife happy rather than to insist that she does everything to meet my needs. An amazing thing happens during this time, she reciprocates and does the same thing back to me. It’s the blessing that is received by an endless cycle of giving our love to each other.

Has it always been so easy? Heck no, like all married couples we’ve had our squabbles over the years. Now that I reflect over the more recent years of my life, I can say that I can’t remember the last time we’ve had an argument.

I don’t think my blessed marriage is because I’m “lucky” because I met just the right person. When I reflect, I think it’s the result of being one hundred percent committed to someone that I cherish above all others. Why would I do anything to purposefully upset her?

So it’s my birthday…..and what do I hear right now? My wonderful wife is making my favourite birthday cake in the kitchen because she loves me. What an amazing lady!

We all have people that we love in our lives. I hope that this musings will cause you to reflect on just how blessed you are and then inspire you to show your love towards those people you cherish in your life.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Michael