In just six months I turn the big 5-0.  Yep, time for my 50^th birthday, another milestone among many.  I’ve been working hard to prep for that half century mark.  I have taken on more challenges, pushed myself farther, tried new things; but I’ve also been working on letting go of some things.

I have almost 50 years of thoughts and ideas ingrained that are not as healthy as I’d like them to be.  I’ve grown up believing that some people will always support you; that’s not true – instead I believe that you choose your supporters and hold on to them.  I’ve grown up believing that there are limitations to your happiness; that’s not true – instead I believe you choose your happy place, how to be happy.  I’ve grown up believing that there are certain acceptable rules of society, certain ways to live, certain ways to do just about everything; that’s not true either – instead I believe you choose how to live, to your limits, to your expectations.  I’ve grown up believing that there is an inherent good in people and the media and government will share that with you – I’m to the point where I still believe in the good in people, but I will find it myself.

I have chosen a lifestyle, a rambling, wandering, appreciate what you see when you see it lifestyle, and I love it.  In doing that I’ve left behind a lot, things I thought I would miss, but I don’t.  I thought I would carry forward the friendships I had in the same way I had them, you can’t – truly you are out of sight, out of mind.  Instead I’ve made new friends, people not as tied down to the local society.  I thought I would miss having a paycheck, I don’t – instead I have found a way to survive on my intuition and hardwork.  I thought I would miss having “stuff”; I don’t – it is actually very freeing – of time and money – to not have to shop for things.

Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that life can be lived on my different fronts – you don’t have to choose, but when you do, choose wisely.  Create the life that YOU imagine, even if no one else can see the vision.

At the beginning of this 50^th year I set some goals, some I am meeting, some not so much.  That’s okay, it’s my life, I can change the goals as I see fit.  I have 8 new old movies watched; I have 19 new books read; I have 12 new places visited; I have 20 new things tried; if I wasn’t trying to meet some goals …would I have come this far?

With only six months left, I asked some friends on Facebook if I should have a “Birthday Project”  Something that I do for others – I’ve read of people collecting diapers for donations, or shoes – any ideas of what I could do to help others and to celebrate the conclusion of my 50^th year?