Reflecting on the Big 5-0
I will never forget when I was at school—I always used to think that 50-year-old dads were really old. Now, with only a few days to go before I turn the big 5-0, it feels like a bit of an anti-climax. I really don’t feel 50 at all.
I guess our generation of fathers will, in theory, be a bit younger than our forefathers. It is scary to think that I left school 32 years ago and stopped playing rugby twenty years ago. I have a daughter who has just turned twenty and is a second-year student—now that makes me feel very old indeed.
I started thinking about why turning 50 is such a big thing. I came to the conclusion that in your late thirties and early forties, you are still looking forward, pushing the boundaries on all levels. Then, suddenly, you hit fifty, and for the first time, you look back and try to make sense of what you have achieved or accomplished. That’s why turning fifty is such a significant milestone.
The Changes That Come with 50
The reality is that things have changed over the years, and I have experienced a few of them in the last few months.
At 48, I could still see everything beautifully, and I was quite chuffed that I could work and read without spectacles. My friends always chirped me, saying, “Just wait—you lose your sight overnight.” I really didn’t believe them, but true as Bob, a year later, I had to see an optometrist. Now, I have to wear my glasses to read any books or documents.
The next big change is recovery from intense training. In the past, I would do a three-day mountain bike race and be ready for another challenge two days later. Now, I need to take much bigger breaks before I have the courage to take on the next challenge.
Apart from those two big issues, I feel strong, and I am pushing to be as fit as I can for as long as I can. That is enough complaining for one day.
A Deep Sense of Gratitude
When I look back at the last fifty years, I feel a great sense of gratitude.
Coming to South Africa at the age of four and having to fight my own battles made me tough, but I know there are so many things to be grateful for. I am grateful for the great teachers at Paarl Boys’ High. I am grateful for the awesome friends I made at school and Technikon, and for the important role they and their parents played in my life.
I am grateful for all the mistakes I made that didn’t break me. I am grateful that I met my wife very early in my life and for the role her family played at a crucial stage of my life. I am grateful for three healthy kids who bring me great joy daily.
I am very blessed, and at 50, I am acutely aware of the fact that I could never have done it on my own.
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