Fifty is the New Thirty

First, let me thank my family, friends, and colleagues for helping me celebrate thoroughly thriving through the half-century mark. My “Fifty is the New Thirty” breakfast sponsored by my VPFAS office mates was a bit overwhelming, with over 100 people jammed into the conference room, lobby, and hallway (at once, I might add). The special impromptu rendition of “Happy Birthday Mr. Vice President” by someone actually named Marilyn left me red-faced and speechless – well, actually frightened. Nonetheless, I can’t not remember it for the whole of my next fifty years. Click here for the pictures.

Sidebar: Occasionally I like double negatives because they disaffirm the more subtle negative condition rather than affirm the obvious positive condition.

When asked about the most significant lessons learned to date, my reflection and response have been focused in two areas – the importance of communication and understanding to having healthy relationships (personal and professional) and the imperative of good physical and mental health for the stamina required by a full and engaged life (personal and professional). The funny thing is that at this point, I am working on communication, understanding, physical well-being, and mental health more than ever – not just because I need to, but because I want to and I choose to.

“Fifty is the New Thirty” is all about attitude and energy – what it’s not about is the past and wanting a “do over” – what it is about is the present and the future and wanting a “do well.” I certainly would not want to be thirty again, without the knowledge gained or the experiences lived in the last twenty years (or the last six months for that matter). While the past informs us as we learn about ourselves (individually or organizationally) and helps us celebrate those things we have done well and how we might do better the next time, the path to the future is through the present. We must work our way through the present to get to the future – the past is in the wrong direction.