Blogs - Chief of Pray Blog

How do you stay feeling young and looking good when you’re getting old and looks start fading? I celebrated my 54th birthday this year and I finally caught up. My girlfriend Randi always told me I had an “old soul.” Randi has been my friend me since 3rd grade, so she should know. When I was nine, and I would play at Randi’s house, her mother would shake her head while looking at me; tsk, tsk, and call me precocious. That’s true. I was always one life stage ahead of my peers. I was baby-sitting for littler kids when my friends still had baby-sitters themselves. I lied about my age and worked retail as a manager at Marshall Fields at fourteen, while my friends were playing intramurals. And, I was engaged at twenty, married at twenty-one and a Mom by twenty-two, when my friends were still in college.

Like Benjamin Button, the clock starting going backwards yesterday. Here’s what happened. Bloomberg New and SAP sponsored a business networking event featuring whiz kid entrepreneur Andrew Mason of Groupon. I made my reservation. The venue  was North Pond Restaurant in Lincoln Park. The program was called Elements of Growth. Business owners were invited to listen and discuss best practices for growing their companies. It was a great program, an outstanding lunch and a very interesting group of attendees. When I got there I chatted with two young business owners; Michael Shmarak, he owns a Public Relations firm and Michael LaVista, who is CEO of Caxy.com, they do web design. Crazy-smart guys who are passionate about their work. Their energy was fuel to my fire. I sat next to Ranjal Bhaduri, a thirty-something director of research at AlphaMetrix; a Hedge fund. On my right, was my daughter Rachel, she’s a recruiter for Digitas, an interactive advertising agency. The conversation at our table was stimulating and I fully appreciated, while it was happening, that I was sharing the experience with my grown-up baby girl.

Pumped-up from a productive day, I took the train to the suburbs to meet my husband David and his friend. New Colony Six was playing an outdoor concert and the plan was meet up enjoy the 60’s music and go out for dinner. I got there early and I began to deflate. Little groups of people started to gather, grabbing the best seats and setting up folding chairs. For the first time in my life, I felt younger than my peers. The gray hair, veiny calves bulging out of capris and strains of depressing conversations; retirement, boomerang kids, aging and dead parents. Don’t get me wrong, I own up to most of the observations I’m dissing right now. And yet, I was worlds apart last night. I was still basking in the after-glow of living a life that’s relevant in changing times.

How does one turn the clock back when it’s getting late? It’s not by dressing like you’re twenty years younger. I’ve seen too many sixty-year olds in leggings to know that doesn’t work. It’s not by acting like the next gen or clinging to your own youthful activities. Ever seen a white-haired grandpa toking on a joint at a rock concert? I have and it’s not pretty. Turn back the clock— take interest in new trends, new music and the next best thing. Turn back the clock— seek to understand what younger people are doing, thinking and how they feel. Turn back the clock— find something with a purpose that you’re passionate about, you’re good at and you enjoy. Pray for the ability to find that special something. Pray for the courage to pursue that special something. Pray for the contentment that doing something special brings. 

Portable Peace

I praise You for:
My purpose,
My passion,
My partner,
My people,
My portable peace,

Your perfection experienced.

For purpose gives direction.
Passion unleashes my gifts.
My partner, life meaning
My people, a heritage
My portable peace is
Your grace unequaled.

-Ruth Williams

 

 

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