Life has a way of rewarding us when we least expect it.
Life has a way of punishing us when we least expect it.
By midlife (which is relative), we should be fully aware that we will get our fair share of both. And that in either case, the timing can not be predicted.
Do you understand this?
Do you prepare for this?
Do you react to it?
Or do you celebrate because of it?
If you are seriously looking for more peace at midlife, or any life stage, being prepared for the unexpected is key.
It’s a funny thing that people who are afraid of death could think the people who think about it are fatalistic.
Intriguing thought. One that never crossed my radar screen.
Unil two days ago.
Here’s the deal. We should be talking about death and planning for it the same way we talk about:
getting an education
interviewing for a job
paying off a mortgage
finding a life mate
planning vacations
You see, the reality is, those things are just like death, they are things humans (with mortgages) go through.
Death is simply another thing on the list, except for one tiny little challenge.
It scares people more than anything (except public speaking).
And I can’t figure out why.
Could be that I’m completely off base on this.
Could be that I’m hitting the bulls eye.
So, let’s review:
We’re born
We die
Why not face the obvious with the same thoughtfulness any professional person approaches life’s other routine events.
Oh, and you did get the memo right? The only thing you can really plan on is the one about death. All the others could go either way (successfully or unsuccessfully).
Death is the only one we will all successfully accomplish.
Do you have any earthly idea when your funeral will be held?
Are you comfortable with your own mortality?
Does death and dying scare you?
These are questions most people in midlife try to avoid. One of the benefits from a midlife crisis is that it’s a friendly reminder that the clock is ticking and there is still time to transform.
Yesterday, on one of the Delta legs to get home from Massachusetts where I gave a few speeches, I had a conversation with a younger man, maybe 30.
He said I had a fatalistic life view. Not knowing exactly what fatalistic meant, and being caught off guard a bit by his evaluation, I waited until I could check the definition.
Last August, I spent a week in Finland and never turned the TV on until 2:00AM, an hour before I left. It’s like every time I travel. I just never watch TV.
But I sure do put some milage on the Internet. And that’s how I found this surprisingly insightful midlife broadcast.
ABC News did a feature with Nancy Anderson, author of Work With Passion In Midlife and Beyond.
How do you know if you have passion? If you clicked the link, you probably have passion, and a desire to learn something.
