Aged 3 Years

A fine wine gets better with age.

I don't.

Tonight, I was sitting on my couch, computer in my lap, talking to Beth on the phone. My screen saver rotates through all of the photos I have on my laptop. At some point, I stopped paying attention to what Beth was saying and started focusing on the photos. The ones I noticed were about three to four years old. They were eye-opening. For the first time in my life, I noticed a younger version of myself. Looking back at photos of when you're a child doesn't apply in this situation. I'm talking about an adult version of yourself looking at a different adult version. I've aged in the past three years. I really have. I only need look at the photos to realize it.

From this brief moment, I've developed a theory: the key to looking and feeling young is a care-free lifestyle.

My immersion into the news business hasn't been particularly wrenching. I don't feel as though I've struggled. In fact, I look back on where I've been and I smile at the good times I've had. But there has been stress. How could there not be? It's been a whirlwind three years and I feel like I just barely took the time to notice how disheveled that twister has left me. Real life puts you through the wringer....even if the highs outweigh the lows. I'm not writing all this with a wistful tone. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It just...is.

Three years ago I was carrying luggage for a living and hiking all day. Now I'm into my third year of trying to be a responsible adult. It's worn me down a little...and I'm just now noticing. I don't know what this means for the future. I can't go back to the way things were. I don't even want to. But now I see my four years spent as a wanderer weren't just good for my spirit. They were good for my health. I'll have to figure out how get a little closer to that point. For now, I suppose I'll just try to have a little more fun in my life.