I recently turned 50; the world did not stop and the sky did not fall for this monumentous event. This is the birthday that sounds really old, whether you feel it or not. When you are 40-49, you simply say: "I'm in my 40's." When you hit the big five-0; that sentence goes right out the door. OK, say age is only a number and your only old as you feel----and all those cliches. HMMMM......Let me just reflect on that for a moment.

Depending on the time of day, activity involved and amount of enery required; I may feel 18 or 80! I have acquired new body parts overnight....or at the very least; they have been rearranged. AND....GASP! Just the other day, I found myself thinking: "Am I too old to be wearing this-? AAAAH.

This is the part where real life thundered in with a reality check. It came in the form of a phone call to inform me a life-long friend-------same age as me..................was dying. He had just gone to Colorado and he was fine.............and then he wasn't. When he came to in the E.R., he was informed he had inoperable cancer. His liver and kidney were so enlarged they were cutting off the blood supply to his heart. They proceeded to offer a few possible experimental things; none with any certainty he would make it home. He chose none of those but came home to be with his family and friends. I go by almost every day, and I cherish my time with my friend who handles each day with such grace and dignity. No whining or self pity from this man, who is too busy making the most of each minute of each day.

Yes, I have had my share of hard knocks; as have most people; but I 've also done or experienced an incredible amount of wonderful things in my 50 years. I have been to all but 2 of the 50 states...and several countries. I've met many celebrities; some who were nicer than I had imagined and others whose attitude in general-----JUST SUCKED!

I've had great adventures in the sky, at sea; movie sets, designer runways and on and on....Have I done everything I want to do-? Not no, but HELL NO! Am I afraid of death-? NO, but that is vastly different than being "ready" to die. SO FOR EVERY DAY THAT I GO TO SEE MY FRIEND---I AM HAPPY I AM 50................................

I AM HAPPY TO JUST--------BE.