In perusing the blogs this morning I came across this Gawker article discussing the mid-life crisis. Stein doesn't do a lot to make any points concerning the Times article the post is talking about - but it got me thinking.
I am looking forward to my mid-life crisis. It's true. And I don't think I am alone in this. I consider mid-life just that - half way through my life. Assuming my MLC hits at approximately 50 (50's the new 40), think of all the things I will have done by then. Even more so, think of all the things I can do after that. In the first 40 years you are encumbered with a number of burdens: financial dependency, lack of experience, breastfeeding. Once you have put that behind you, you can skyrocket towards your next goal. The mid-life crisis is a chance at renewal, a left-turn on the road of life.
Richard Friedman drones unendingly about the MLC being the move a narcissistic man trying to "turn back the clock." Big deal. We all try to keep that clock stalled (e.g. eating healthfully, using sunblock, botox) why not go ahead and crank it back a few years. When a man, after 30 years of marriage, suddenly decides to seek a new life is anyone really shocked? Is this really the first sign the wife has seen of his dislike of the situation. (Perhaps it is, but life is life and we can't control it.)
One of the reasons I feel free to do the things I do, take the risks I take - is I know half way through I get a retry. Painful for some, but it gets me through the day.
2 comments:
All mid-life crisis does not have to lead to finding a new partner after 30 or 33 years of marriage in my case...it can lead to going back to school and getting a new career as I did (though at the moment, I think I'm crazy for doing it and wonder if it's really what I want to be doing...in fact, I'm going to talk to a psychologist about it this afternoon!) Enjoy every minute of your life...it's a great adventure! (Except I would like to have enough time once in my life to do nothing long enough to get bored...wonder how long that would take?)
Why wait 'till you are halfway through to start over?
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