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src/content/post/2024/july/02.md

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+---
+title: On turning 62
+description: 'In which I wax philosophical about being kind of old'
+publishDate: 02 July 2024
+tags:
+  - thoughts
+draft: false
+---
+
+Today is my 62nd birthday.  As they say, it is weird being the same age as old people.
+
+I’m not sure how I feel about being 62.  Every year, I ask my dad how it feels to be his age, and he always says “It’s better than the alternative!” and I suppose that is right.
+
+I’m grateful for a great many things this year.  I still struggle with many things.  But I’m here, and continuing to focus on what I can do to make the world a better place, and not focusing on things that I can’t do anything about.
+
+If I had one thing to say about the past year it would be how the deep and profound wisdom of the [Serenity Prayer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer) has become central to who I am. I spent many years thinking it was trite and silly, but as I’ve aged, its pretty much become my whole approach to life.
+
+![The Serenity Prayer](/assets/blog/serenity.jpg)
+
+In the past, I’ve spent a tremendous amount of mental energy worrying about things that I had no control over and about things that never came to pass.   I have enough to worry about with what is actually in my control. Spending energy on things completely outside the realm of my influence is exhausting.
+
+Ultimately, I think the best way to make the world a better place is to work towards making oneself a better person and not spending any time worrying about what other people are doing.
+
+After all, you have pretty much complete control over who you are, right?