Many of the things we learn in life do not occur from overt actions or communications. Rather, they come from subtle messages that we pick up along the way. The message is sort of hidden, but eventually you find it – or more likely, it finds you.
I recently had one of those moments while attending a gathering of CPAs at the annual “Sagamar Challenge” in Seymour, Texas. This is a get together to help raise scholarship money for the TSCPA Accounting Education Foundation (AEF). This year’s event was hosted by our current TSCPA Chairman Jeff Gregg, CPA-Wichita Falls, and his lovely wife Becky, who started this tradition seven years ago as part of our Silent Auction to assist the AEF.
Those in attendance were having a fun time consuming adult beverages and great steaks grilled by our wonderful host and hostess. During the course of the evening, the conversation among a few attendees turned to music and various rock groups that we liked and have enjoyed during our time on this earth. At one point, I made a comment about seeing Janis Joplin perform live while I attended college, except at that time it was actually the band “Big Brother and the Holding Company” with whom Janis Joplin sang as lead singer. This was shortly before her career really took off and also before her tragic death. I said that this would have been something like 1968 or 1969, which elicited a comment from another attendee of, “I would have been eight years old at that time.”
For some reason that comment really hit me, driving home the point that I was – for heaven’s sake – OLD! It was a stark realization that I was officially a “geezer” compared to most of the people with whom I was having the conversation. Funny, I don’t really feel older, but this was one of those subtle reminders that while you may think you are part of the group, you really are not. Anyway, this reminder about my aging condition did sort of zing me. Not that I spend a lot of time worrying about my advancing years. I have learned if I don’t look in the mirror very often or try to engage in highly physical activity, I can continue to con myself into believing that I am really as young as I feel.
The following day as I was driving back to Dallas from Seymour, we slowed down as we were driving through a small town along the way (I believe it may have been Olney) and as I looked at the side of this one building, there was a big poster/message painted on it. It looked like it may have been painted by schoolchildren. Anyway, the message said,“Once you accept the concept of hope, then anything is possible.”
It brought a smile to my face. It was sort of a Simon & Garfunkel moment – “the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.” And apparently on the sides of buildings in small towns in Texas. I like it. If I have hope, then anything is possible. Even for an aging geezer!
Perhaps you would be interested in reading the book, "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge. It comes in a Kindle version.
Posted by: Tracy B. Stewart | 06/10/2010 at 10:50 AM