Older and Bolder

 

There is something interesting about growing older. When I was younger, I thought getting older meant losing something, youth, time, perhaps even a little bit of the excitement of life. Today, I look at it very differently.

With every passing year, I seem to understand myself a little better. I have more experiences to look back on, more people to remember, more relationships to value, more lessons that were not taught in any classroom. And strangely, life seems to be getting more exciting, not less. Maybe it is because I am becoming more comfortable with who I am. As years add, I'm doing more exciting work professionally. Challenges keep the interest and curiosity burning.

I don't feel the same need to explain every decision I make. I don't feel the same need for everyone's approval. I have become more aware of people, situations and the realities of life. I can see that not everything is black or white. Some things need patience. Some need firmness. Some need you to walk away. And some need you to stay and fight a little harder. Experience teaches you things that no book can.

It teaches you to read situations better. To listen differently. To listen to your own voice and then if required to few others who matter. To understand that people have their own journeys, empathise and just be there. To recognize what deserves your energy and what doesn't, who deserve attention and who don't. It also teaches you that you can be kind and still be firm, confident and still be humble, and strong without having to prove that you are strong.

So yes, older is making me bolder. Bolder in expressing what I think. Bolder in taking decisions. Bolder in saying no when I need to. Bolder in trying something new. Bolder in accepting that I may not have all the answers, but I can figure things out along the way.

And perhaps that is the best part of growing older. You don't necessarily become fearless. You simply become more willing to act despite the fear. You don't necessarily know everything. You just become more confident about learning what you don't know. You don't necessarily have life figured out. You just become more comfortable with the fact that life will continue to surprise you. You learn to be grateful and accept that life has given you the beauties of world that some other beings will rarely or never experience.

Today, as another year quietly gets added to my journey, I find myself looking forward rather than looking back. There is still so much to learn. So many people to meet. So many conversations to have. So many experiences waiting to unfold. So here's to growing older, wiser, stronger and, hopefully, a little bolder every year. Older and bolder. And I think I'm just getting started.