And here we are.
65 years. 65 trips around the sun.
What does it all mean?
I’m grateful to have made it.(*) Not everyone does.
But, aside from being a traditional “retirement age”, or some other measure of time, there’s nothing really special about 65. It’s just a number. I’ll be just as grateful to make 65 years and a day, tomorrow. Or 66 a year from now.
Like many milestones, it’s arbitrary. But it’s also an opportunity to reflect on what’s passed, and what is yet to come. It’s an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned, mistakes made, and opportunities for the future.
It’s an opportunity (or perhaps an excuse) to leave a little wisdom, or at least some thought-fodder, for others.
This little exercise of writing 65 essays over the past few months has been interesting and thought provoking. As writing does, it forced me to clarify my thoughts. It forced me to acknowledge where my thoughts weren’t ready for prime time. And it forced me to more clearly identify areas where I feel totally clueless.
I remain a work in progress. It’s fascinating to see what’s changed and what’s remained the same, revisiting my thoughts 15 years ago.
On a more practical note, this concludes the flood of essays, for now. I do plan to continue to post here, but perhaps on a less frenetic schedule. I have many left over ideas that may get fleshed out here in the coming weeks and months.
It turns out I have more than 65 thoughts.
Thanks for tagging along. While the exercise was mostly for myself, I hope you found it thought provoking.
Just a reminder, I have a few other projects you might be interested in:
- 7 Takeaways – “Something of substance each day, collected and delivered weekly.” – Throughout the week I capture interesting things, save them, comment on them, and share the collection every Sunday morning.
- Not All News Is Bad – “An antidote to everything else.” – Throughout the week I capture stories of things going right, and share a link to one every morning.
- HeroicStories – “Restoring faith in humanity – one story at a time” – A collection of over 800 stories of people being good and doing good. Emailed twice a week.
- Confident Computing – “Articles that help you solve problems, stay safe, and increase your confidence with technology — delivered to your inbox, once a week.” aka The Ask Leo! newsletter, published every Tuesday morning.
My “online business card” has those and more.
Take care,
(*) Full disclosure: I wrote the first draft of this in mid-August, and edited a few times since, so that statement is a bit of an assumption. 
If things go according to plan, I’ll be spending my birthday driving around, supporting and stalking cyclists taking part in Bike MS – Deception Pass Classic. It seems fitting. Look for “N7LEO” on the road.
As one fortunate enough to be 82, I suggest do what you want, e.g. travel, before you can’t.
Depends on who you are. Sometimes you can go on and on. Look at Clint Eastwood 91.
Leo … I really appreciated the insightful articles that you have published over the last 65 days – it has given me reassurances of my own ideas, as well as “takes” on alternative viewpoints on many topics. As well, I follow your AskLeo daily/weekly posts on YouTube, and find them very detailed, and super helpful regarding the many computer and Internet related topics that you discuss and clarify. I particularly like your candid and down-to-earth video presentations – they certainly stand out in a world where many such sites simply “skim over” complicated topics, and leave the viewer frustrated and confused. Keep up the terrific work!
I enjoyed following your ’65 essays’. I am 84 and if I was to write my essays they would read a lot like yours. Our beliefs and reasoning are very similar. Looking forward to your ’85 essays’.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEO. I have a couple of years on you and try not to think of age in years as I stay active both mentally and physically. I truly enjoy getting your info everyday. Stay well and happy and keep on hangin’ on
Oh, darn! the last of 65 thoughts! More, please. I am sad to see this exercise end. I have enjoyed reading your thoughts, pondering my own and looking forward to the next one. Thank you!
Happy Birthday Leo!
Happy Birthday, Leo, Hope You Had A Great Day! (I was 55 on 8th!)
Have read & enjoyed all 65 essays & many struck a chord with me, hence I’ve saved some for later inspiration.
I’m also signed up for your other projects for some time now, especially ‘Confident Computing’, which I’ve been receiving for many years now.
Thanks everyone for the kind words. I made it! 🙂 Spent a very rewarding day driving 215 miles following bicyclers around for their fundraising ride. More miles tomorrow for day 2.
Happy birthday, Leo
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts across these 65 essays. For my, these are all very important, correct, and relevant lessons to be absorbed. I have not yet managed to read all of them, but I will get to that, too. Life is busy, intense, with much to be grateful for and some things to be accepting and curious about. But your essays have often helped me to refocus, to get back to the way I would like to live life for myself. I am sure that I will continue to refer to your essays.
Thank you
Thank-you Leo for your 65 Thoughts.
Some put succinctly what I have already been contemplating. Some were fairly new and thought provoking (your treatise on anger is one.)
And all express a tenor of acceptance, kindness, and thoughtfulness that is very welcome in this fractured, misinformed, and angry society.
I continue to read your 7 Takeaways for these same reasons. So, again, thank-you.