Turning 50 is Great!

A half century, five decades, two complete generations, or 50 years; no matter how it is said, the thought can be intimidating, especially when referring to age. An individual who has ever looked for reading glasses that were on their heads, walked into a room and forgotten why they were there, or fallen asleep ten minutes into a two hour movie can join the fifty plus club. If 40 is over the hill, then turning 50 means rolling down the hill at full throttle! How can anyone experience a Happy 50th birthday when it seems depressing?


This milestone should be viewed as a major accomplishment. Take a look back at life and remember the multiple instances when life could have ended. Near misses are a part of life, and with the type of hustle in modern culture, an accidental death is always close by. Often times people choose to look at this type of milestone with worry and fatigue; however, life is a blessing every day that one has the opportunity to live it.


Jokes have been made that when folks reach a certain age, they should read the obituaries each morning before they start their day in order to make sure they are still alive. Although that is a cute saying, it often seems that this is the mantra that many people follow. A person’s outlook on life determines much about how it is lived. Young people are encouraged regularly to have a “positive mental outlook,” but it appears as though the more experienced generation does not always practice what they have preached.  There is absolutely no reason not to have a Happy 50th! After all, what's the alternative?

Recent studies have proven that the generations of fifty-somethings and older are a tremendous benefit to their society. This is the season of life when most individuals have become or are becoming grandparents. One perspective on this “grand” period of life is that a grandparent can be a major influence in the life of grandchildren. Instead of just living out the remaining years of life sulking over age or past failures, they can get involved and mentor the next generation. After all, they have already had one go-round with their children and should have an idea of what things work and what can be done differently. It seems that some in this generation have determined that their usefulness is through because they achieved some magical old age. Ancient history, including Biblical records, gives evidence of the fact that the family originally consisted of multiple generations who lived together as clans. In fact, until the 1940’s, when our society became so mobile, it was not uncommon for four generations to reside together in the same house. The wisdom and compassion of the elder grandparent passed down to the child is a priceless treasure. The over fifty class has certainly earned privileges through hard times and hard work, but they also have mental and financial resources, and so much experience that can be a benefit to the generations that follow.

Fifty is not the end of the world. In fact, the world should look less intimidating now, because it can be seen from a more mature and experienced perspective. Influence and experience come at a price, but they can be used to impact the future. People truly can have a Happy 50th when they realize they are still important!