At the risk of sounding cynical:
1. Most friends are only as good as the next thing you can do for them.
2. There is a reason the Christian ghetto is called the Christian ghetto.
3. When you finally end up in the real world, it looks a lot different than said ghetto.
4. That life is not a melodrama.
5. That suffering, self-inflicted or not, sucks.
6. If I truly attempt to live out my creative potential, I should expect to be misunderstood—by almost everyone.
7. Most of the people you give the greatest care and love will abandon you.
8. That when the Apostle Paul laid claim on the title “chief of sinners,” he obviously didn’t realize I was going to come along and unequivocally wrest that title from him.
At the risk of sounding idealistic:
1. As college basketball coach Jimmy V said during his battle with cancer, “Never give up. Don’t ever give up.”
2. As college basketball coach Jimmy V said during his battle with cancer, “To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”
3. I should never let anyone stop me from believing in magic.
4. I am not called to change the world, I am called to create culture.
5. If you find someone that will care for you, in the words of the great theologian Don Henley, “You better hang on tooth and nail.”
6. Some things are worth fighting for.
7. One thing is worth dying for.
8. Thankfully, I am not Joaquin Phoenix (Commodus) in Gladiator and YOU are not Russell Crowe (Maximus). (See #4 above.)
Question: What one thing have you realized as you grow older, or which one of these most resonate with you?
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10 responses to “As I Grow Older, I Realize…”
I read your article about franklin, tn police. I’ve been here for 14 years, and I’m sick of the intimidation. Why do we taxpayers allow this?
I’m completely computer challenged, but am a middle-aged preschool teacher who has had enough! My 2 sons are in extremely sensitive positions…both of which are computer wizards. One son lives in Historic Franklin, so all the new “hype” is good for him.
My question is…..other than voting, is there any hope for the “average joe” in franklin? Or should I just give up and move.
Please do not post my comments…..my boys’ jobs would definitely be compromised. Just reply back, please.
This is truth at it’s inevitable core. Love it Randy, wise and extremely insightful.
Great list and I love the watercolor! Amazing.
I think #4 in the bottom list challenges me because I often equate them as the same thing and they are not. I often feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders and maybe that shouldn’t be the case. Also, #5 of the top list really resonates with me because, well, suffering sucks and I’ve gone through a lot of it.
Thanks so much for joining the conversation, Aaron. None of us have the strength to carry the world. We just don’t. But I understand somewhat why we want to…
Good list(s), though I must admit I don’t resonate with #7 in the first list. Then again, I’m realizing that as I get older I become more misanthropic, so maybe I not pouring into as many people as I could be.
I love #3 in the bottom list. That’s effectively the way Tolkien brought C.S. Lewis into Christianity.
A big one for me: Never stop learning. When you stop learning, you begin dying.
I’m very thankful, Chris, you do not resonate with #7. May it always be so. I love this: “Never stop learning. When you stop learning, you begin dying.”
I’ve learned
– Embrace the adventure wherever you find it
– Give love and grace to everyone…let them worry about what to do with it
Awesome, Vince. Great statements to live by!!! Thanks.
“Age is a high price to pay for maturity.” But I don’t think it’s too high a price. Value always requires a solid investment. Well done, sir.
Thanks so much, Randy. Very true. Very true.