My Dad turned 40 in 1994. I was a freshman in high school at the time and he was a million years old.
Tomorrow I too pass the quadruple-decade mark and must pause on the eve of that milestone for a quick retrospective…primarily of the past decade. There’s so much that’s happened in the years since I turned thirty.
What’s Remained
Wife
It’s amazing at how many of our friends have separated from their spouses at this point. When Beth and I were dating, we took the prospect of marriage very seriously…even Biblically. We believe that marriage was more like the fusing of two organisms into one, than it was a simple partnership.
That mindset has allowed us to fight fair with each other and experience a freedom, and security, unparalleled by any other relationship. At times it’s been terribly difficult…to the point where we understand why others part ways. For us, it’s just never been an option, so we work each challenge out for the good of each other.
I still like to introduce her as “My first wife.” however.
Church
We’ve been members of the same congregation for 15 years. Having a community of faithful friends and mentors has allowed us to grow and serve in ways we never imagined. Lots of friends have come and gone, but they’re still like family to us.
Home
This one sort of snuck up on me. We never intended to spend more than three years in this house, but that was 2004. Our starter home has become our decade-and-a-half home, which we’ve pretty much outgrown, but we keep finding ways to make it work.
We love the country atmosphere and the little neighborhood we’re in, especially the proximity to wildlife. Deer, coyotes, bobcats, all frequent our backyard. We won’t be here forever, but this place continues to be our base of operation for now.
Miles
Though annual mileages have fluctuated by the seasons of my life, running and cycling have been a constant over this decade. From the day I turned 30 until now, I’ve logged:
- Over 8,000 running miles – the equivalent of running from Chihuahua, Mexico to Anchorage, Alaska…and back.
- Over 5,774 biking miles – enough distance to cover the ride from Miami, Florida to Anchorage, Alaska and still have some miles to spare.
Between running and cycling, I’ve clocked over 1,482 hours. That’s just about two straight months of going 24/7.
There was a couple years in there that I missed tracking my mileage because I opted to use the Strava app as opposed to Garmin, but, eh. Who’s keeping score? The important thing is that I keep moving. It’s all supposed to be downhill from this point on anyway. Right?
What’s Changed
Family
Over the last ten years, we’ve experienced the pain of two miscarriages, then the joy of welcoming Sofie and Beau into the world. Without a doubt, these two little people have completely upended my world…in good ways…mostly. Who needed discretionary time or money anyway?
Dad passed away almost two years ago; an event that sometimes feels like 20 years removed, or just yesterday. His departure refuses to be bound by time as we know it. I miss him daily. Still catch myself wanting to call him. I still find I live my life in an effort to make him proud. I suppose that will never change.
Career
Even five years ago, had you told me I’d be working in the hunting industry in front of and behind the camera, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. The outdoors was something I was always passionate about and had aptitude for, but precious few are fortunate enough to make it their vocation.
From an article I wrote on a whim and got published in The Missouri Conservationist to helping chart a course for the future of one of my long-time favorite names in hunting (Drury Outdoors), it’s been an incredible journey that’s only really beginning. I consider myself extremely fortunate.
Degree
I finished a graduate degree (and paid for it all in real-time, out of pocket) in 2016. It took four years, but I did it juggling a full-time job, a growing family, endurance athletics, and a burgeoning freelance outdoor media gig called The Thinking Woodsman.
Much of that classwork was done via the screen of my iPhone as I sat in a deer stand or in the wee hours of the night after Sofie and Beth went to sleep. The education was fine, but the internal capacities I built for motivation and organizing were the real payoff.
Ride
I drove my Jeep Cherokee XJ from 2006 until just this past June. That’s 12 years of wearing a custom groove into the driver seat. In the back of my mind, I knew selling her would be a little tricky due to all the wild game blood that had likely soaked into the cargo area carpet. God help me if the interested buyer was a CSI investigator.
In the end, a guy down the street bought her and I moved on from owning an SUV (which had been the only style of vehicle I’d ever owned) to a pickup truck. Now, I can’t imagine how I got along for so many years without a truck bed. It’s awesome. My Tacoma has proven to be a champ…even getting me home through a 15 hour snowmageddon.
As the grey creeps further through my beard, I can’t deny that I’m actually enjoying the aging process. Sure, I wish I still had some of the physical prowess from my twenties and early thirties, but the collection of experience and wisdom I have now more than makes up for that.
To my kids, I’m certain I now appear to be a million years old. “You know, when I was your age, we didn’t have the Internet and you couldn’t text anyone! For real!” I suppose it’s part of the ebb and flow of life. I pray they get the chance to look ancient to their kids someday too.
Not everyone gets a turn at turning 40. On the evening before I do so, I’m thankful for the opportunity.
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