WEDNESDAY WISDOM: Sixty-Seven is Gone - Another Soundtrack-of-My-Life Milestone

SIXTY-SEVEN IS GONE:  Another Soundtrack-of-My-Life Milestone    

 

"When you only got a hundred years to live

Half time goes by

Suddenly you're wise

Another blink of an eye

Sixty-seven is gone

The sun is getting high

We're moving on." 

Five for Fighting

"100 Years" Music Video

 

Four years ago, I achieved a major musical milestone. Given that the Beatles sang and composed much of the musical soundtrack of my younger life, it was a BIG DEAL when I reached the age of 64, and lo and behold, I was flat-out living their song, "When I'm Sixty-Four."

Here's what I wrote in a Wednesday Wisdom back in 2016 when I turned 64:

At my age, life is like a set of playing cards. I still have a full deck; I just shuffle slower now. Nearly 50 years ago, I sang along with the Beatles (and chuckled smugly to myself, certain that those days were eons away):

"When I get older losing my hair,

Many years from now

Will you still be sending me a Valentine

Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

If I'd been out till quarter to three

Would you lock the door?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me

When I'm sixty-four?"

This week - on Saturday to be precise - I actually arrive at the age 64 milestone. My, how time flies! Here I am, living the words of the song and still asking those questions:

"Doing the garden, digging the weeds,

Who could ask for more?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,

When I'm sixty-four?"

I'm happy to report that I'm "doing the garden" and "digging the weeds," in my back yard grow box and producing some beautiful vegetables. No, I haven't "been out to quarter to three" lately; I need my rest. But yes, Marcie, my sweetheart of 41 years, still needs me and still feeds me and still wants to be "mine for evermore." Who could ask for more?

Fast forward to 2020, and this week I find myself turning 68 years old.  Here I am again in the midst of the lyrics of another soundtrack-of-my-life song, "100 Years," by Five for Fighting.

By the time that composition was written in 2003, I was long past many of the milestone ages he identified in the song - 15, 22, 33, and 45 - and I had just made it past "half-time" (50). I'm not so sure that at half-time I was "suddenly wise," but I can certify that in "Another blink of an eye Sixty-Seven is gone" because TOMORROW, Thursday, May 14, 2020, I turn 68 and hence, for me, 67 will indeed be GONE! Who knew it would all flash by so quickly?

Looking ahead from here, Mr. Five for Fighting says, "The sun is getting high, we're moving on" to the inevitable 99 and then 100 years, because "You only got a hundred years to live."

If the next several years race by as rapidly as the last few have, those fateful and terminal ages will get here lickety-split, before I even know it.

To be honest, I've never aspired to be 99 or 100 years old. From what I've seen of senior living, that last decade or two doesn't look like very much fun to me. But since that decision isn't ultimately up to me, I'm planning to do the best I can with whatever time is allotted me here on this azure orb, and then I'm outta here, on my way to bigger and better things!

So, gentle readers, what do you think should be the next soundtrack-of-my-life song when I reach that milestone? How about "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" or maybe "Learning to Fly"? Any other suggestions?