Twenty Years

Today is one of those days when I just can't stop myself getting lost in thought. In fact, for the last few days I've been more than a bit contemplative. The cause of all this self-reflection is simple; today my daughter, Alicia, is 20 years old. The plain fact of the matter is that I have a child who is no longer a teenager. So far, everyone who has become aware of this has responded in the same way; a smile, a shrug and a gentle acknowledgment that it signifies inescapable evidence that middle-age has set in. Advancing age has never been a difficult issue for me, but I am starting to take exception to those folks who insist that it's always a bad thing.

I have always regarded the day of Alicia's birth as the most significant sea-change moment in my life. At 5.20am on April 28th 1989 I became an adult. A proper responsible grown-up. So in many ways, today is my 20th anniversary of adulthood, and I can't help thinking that most of my life is much better than it was back in the day. OK, so I finally have to accept that my eyesight isn't so hot and reading glasses await me. Granted, the old hair is more than a little grey at the temples, but at least it's still all there. And it's true, if I party past midnight nowadays, there's every chance that it will take me two days to recover. But is all this that important? On the positive side, most people think I'm more patient and considerate than I was back in 1989. I'm certainly more content in the realisation that I don't have all the answers and that saving the world isn't all my burden to carry. Physically, I've never been so fit or strong and I'm in much better shape than I was when Alicia was born. I have a great and fulfilling career that was completely unknown and uncharted territory for me back then. Most importantly of all, Lynn and I are still together in the same way we always have been, (even if that makes the kids cringe from time to time).

So what's the big deal? Bring on the dancing girls and celebrate I say. Just to be clear what I mean by that, Alicia will rave hard until about 5.00am tomorrow and I'll have a curry and an early night. After all, I'm not getting any younger.