Birthdays

The first week in February is a cause for celebration, it's my daughter's and my birthdays. A time of family meals and celebrations.59 is not a special birthday but its the first since I retired. Although I've been marking some exam papers, I ensured that I'd cleared the decks so my birthday was clear.

Leaving the car in the drive, we went to Chelmsford by train. My choice of film and a meal thereafter. Now I didn't have any pre conceptions about The Descendants except having seen George Clooney in the Ides of March earlier in the year, I've increasingly felt he was a far better actor than the critics would make you believe. The Descendants in many respects isn't my ideal film, it deals with themes that I'm not immediately drawn towards. However as my birthday made me reflect on life, so did this film.

Reaching 59 makes you realise that you're getting closer to sixty obviously. My parents seemed so old at sixty, and I naturally wonder if that's as I appear to others. Age has given me experience that I would not trade. We are fortunate in being able to retire at this age, at a time when all discussion is on people working longer. Hopefully I've got the time and the energy to still make useful contributions to issues in which I believe.

Mortality is a theme perhaps not best dealt on, but I was also drawn to it, by the arrival of the new Leonard Cohen album. Leonard at 77 rightly is looking back on life but still focussing on the themes that drew me towards him over 40 years ago, when I first heard Sisters of Mercy. The fact that he still wants to write and perform is frankly inspirational.