Old Guys

I discovered this clothing line some time ago through a friend of mine. I was helping him work on one of his cars one day and after we were done, he let me clean up at his place so we could go out for some lunch and a cold one. He gave me the shirt on the left and its been one of my favorites ever since.

I've often worn it when I go for a hike and sometimes I've gotten a few comments on it. Mostly from older guys like me who just 'get it'. Once it was a couple who happened to be out hiking the same trail that day. They both smiled and he just said "I love that shirt!" Another time it was a couple of 'old guys' like me who happened to be guiding a bunch of their youngsters that day. I don't remember exactly what they said but it was something to the effect of "age equals wisdom". I've seen others out and about with them on too.

There's something about it that resonates with me and a lot of others too apparently. It's not about dominance or control (in my opinion). It's about being seasoned. Tried and tested. Bruised and battered but still fully serviceable and still dependable. Its about being over all the stuff you worried about as a younger man. Look at that guy. You think he reads GQ? I doubt it. Do you think he wants to? Again, probably not.

I work with one of these younger 20-somethings. His comment on the subject one day was "no they don't". See, he doesn't 'get it'. Not yet anyway. I can relate. I was 20 once too.

Seems I remember back in the 60's the catchphrase was "don't trust anyone over 30". In my 20's and 30's I always heard about the 'midlife crisis'. You can still see guys (and gals) going through this. Making bad choices and trying to stay young or recapture the glory days of youth. I don't see myself going through a crisis. Its definitely a time of adjustment and reassessment, but not crisis. Life sucks sometimes. It hurts sometimes. Other times, I can tell when great memories are being made and life is good. I can't really control either circumstance but I can control how I react and respond to it. When it sucks, I plan to soldier on. When its great, I plan to savor it. I'm learning to be content with what I have and not complain about what I don't have. That's how I see it.