Ian Martin is a British author, writer for Oscar-nominated film In the Loop, major contributor to The Thick of It and has written for radio and newspapers. He shares his thoughts about turning 60. A few excerpts:
1. People who “hate getting old” are idiots. Every year is a privilege. Let me tell you, callow miserabilists: getting to 60 feels like a triumph. I have no idea how I made it this far, but I am very grateful…
4. For instance. It was 1968. Early summer evening, a Saturday. My mate and I were hitching home in the Essex countryside. We got a lift from a happy couple in a boaty car that smelled of leather and engine oil. We were 15, they were proper old, 20-ish. Relaxed and so very much in love. They treated us as equals, laughed at our jokes, we smoked their cigarettes. Walk Away Renee by the Four Tops came on the radio. We all sang along to the chorus. I felt a blissful certainty that life as an adult might genuinely be a laugh. The entire encounter lasted no more than 10 minutes. I have thought about that couple every day since. Every day, for 45 years. Imagine that. A Belisha Beacon of kindness pulsing through the murk of a whole life.
10. …You have kids, you know you will never experience that feeling of unconditional love for anyone else, ever, and then it happens all over again. A heart-stoppingly beautiful miracle.
Read More @ The Guardian – 60 Thoughts About Turning Sixty
Live & Learn 
Amen..
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2x
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Reblogged this on Waiting for the Karma Truck and commented:
More than one reason to smile today…thank you davidkanigan.com @ Lead.Learn.Live
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Thanks for sharing Mimi
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The alternatives to turning sixty aren’t at all good.
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Now that’s true Bill 🙂
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Reblogged this on The Write Idea.
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Thanks for sharing Bill
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Loved this – having just turned 60 I appreciate his good humour and grouchiness–but I must say, I do look better than he does (not that that has anything to do with anything–but this guy looks a lot older than me-ha ha ha)– I think this may have inspired tomorrow’s post though I did promise not another word about my birthday
Love your blog btw.
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Happy Birthday! And thank you!
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Just a glimpse around the corner, for me (aged 59).
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Yup … every day we wake up is a gift. In just a few short years, I will hit the half-century mark (yikes .. that sounds OLD!). Time seems to have sped up. All too soon it will be 60.
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Yes, it has Laurie. Rocketed by…
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I saw an interview – I want to say it was Maya Angelou but I could be wrong – also want to say it might have been on Oprah, but again, I could be wrong – on how each successive decade was just SO MUCH better than the one before. It was so inspirational! Why on earth would you even consider wanting to stay in your 20s or 30s or 40s (gotta stop there)?
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Smiling. I stop exactly where you stop. And it’s a hard stop and gulp!
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I went over to read the original post. Blimey! I thought I understood Brit-speak pretty well, but got totally lost in the specific references. It really is another country. Huh.
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That funny because I thought the same when I read (then skipped over) several passages.
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“Don’t regret growing old. It’s a privilege denied to many.”.
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That about captures it Sylvia
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Beautiful post. Loved it. I turned 60 last June. It is just a number right? I will reblog this on my blog. Thank-you so much.
Have a great day. 🙂 Renee
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Reblogged this on PositiveBoomer and commented:
I loved this post and hopefully you will too~
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Thank you for sharing.
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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