Thank you, AI, for making me look thrilled to be turning 55 today.

I’m not sure exactly when the excitement of turning another year older started to fade. Today, it is just another day, despite everyone trying to make it a big deal.

The folks at work all signed a card and brought brownies and tasty treats to celebrate yesterday. My brother has brought out his A Game and has been posting pictures with “old” jokes on my Facebook all week. My kids know that birthday mean cake, so they are excited about that. Then there is the internet:

I honestly thought I had at least another 10 years before being considered a “senior.” Apparently not.

I’m not sure how I feel about turning 55. There is an awareness that I have reached an age where I realize that there are more years behind me than in front of me. The older I get the more I try to make every day mean something. There is that fear of the unknown – how many more grains are in the top of the hourglass?

I suppose I’m a little confused about these overwhelming feelings. I’ve had plenty of birthdays. In the last year or so, I feel like we’ve finally come up with the right “cocktail” of meds to make me feel good. However, as this birthday approached, I found my thoughts turning to my age, my life, and just how fragile and short life can be.

I guess I should decide right here and right now to embrace my age and do whatever I can to make an impact every day. I looked for some sort of “feel good” quotes to help…

“Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” —Satchel Paige

“Aging is just another word for living.” —Cindy Joseph

“Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.” —Larry Lorenzoni

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old. You grow old when you stop laughing.” —George Bernard Shaw

“My belief is that it’s a privilege to get older—not everybody gets to get older.” —Cameron Diaz

“Having a birthday is like reaching a higher peak on a mountain. Pause to admire the view; reflect on how far you have come.” — Richelle Goodrich, “Being Bold”

“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.” — Mark Twain

“Getting old is a fascinating thing. The older you get, the older you want to get.” —Keith Richards

LOL – No wonder Keith Richards is still around!

Well, at least AI made me look happier celebrating my birthday with Dino…