Thanks

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
--G.K. Chesterton

So far I've taken two approaches to turning 40: apprehension, as befits what they call the mid-life crisis; and levity, because humor seemed the best way to deal with the anxieties. In that hustle and bustle, I think I may have left out gratitude.

Forty marks a major milestone, and I have many things to be thankful for:

• Good health.
• A complete family, also in good health.
• Friends, lots of good friends.
• A multifarious and storied career in IT and literature.
• Time.
• Traveling adventures.
• A full head of hair, still mostly black.
• Improving vision.
• Books.
• Comics.
• Games.
• A grand toy collection.
• Continuous learning.
• Christian philosophy.
• Teaching. And being cool about it.
• A healthy and egalitarian skepticism of humans in general.
• Being able to laugh heartily.
• Being single and unattached (though that situation may change soon ;-)
• Surprise.
  

For all these things, I'm mighty thankful. There may have been occasions for regret here and there, but otherwise I'm happy at how I'm turning out so far.