I’m 61 years old, and I’ve come to a wonderful realization. I don’t have to prove myself anymore.
I don’t need a high-paying career, a prestigious job title, a fancy house, or a trophy bride to feel successful. I don’t need to impress anyone with my income, my neighborhood, or my social status. Those things simply don’t matter to me anymore.
I paint for leisure, make music for pleasure, blog because I have something to say, and write books because I enjoy creating them. I can sell my work or give it away. The choice is mine.
Nobody tells me what to do with my life. No teacher, boss, or family member dictates my beliefs. I vote for the candidates and policies I believe in, not because someone tells me to, but because I've developed my own understanding of the world.
At 61, I think more about my health, my mortality, and how much time I have left. But I'm no longer afraid of death, and suicide is no longer an option. I've discovered that life is worth living, especially when you're free to live it on your own terms.
I'm older now, but I'm also wiser, more independent, and more comfortable with myself than I've ever been.
Perhaps that's the greatest reward of growing older. You stop trying to become somebody and finally enjoy being yourself.
At 61, I have nothing left to prove, but I still have plenty left to create.
by Dan and Bonkers
