Reporter's Notebook: This Is 58
It is crazy to think that I made it this far in my life. I sort of expected it, but never envisioned quite like this.
So, I turned 58 years old.
Not an Earth-shattering age. Nor is it a significant one.
It used to be that when I reached this age I would be already retired and was spending the kid’s inheritance on cruise ships and living a life of leisure. I already know some people who are retired at this age, and, frankly, they are the exception in this society.
Since my parent’s generation, the retirement age has gone up several years. You get some benefits, but not as extensive and expansive as they once were.
Some people have gone on to work beyond the so-called retirement age. Some for the sake of keeping active. Others are doing so out of necessity. After all, a pandemic-fueled rise in global inflation affected everything we spend on – housing, food, and so forth.
It is crazy to think that I made it this far in my life. I sort of expected it, but never envisioned quite like this.
At 58, I’m an automotive content creator, journalist, and publisher of a website – this one in particular.
I continue to fulfill my love of the automobile by telling their stories. It is a love that spans over five decades of witnessing the evolution of the automobile and experiencing it from the best seat in the house – behind the wheel.
That has not changed over these 58 years. Nor will it. The excitement of seeing a vehicle from my younger days that have not been in my eyesight for decades is what drives my love for the automobile. It is bridging memories with the currents of the industry and the marketplace that serves as the motivation for this work.
Yet, this is a year of change. I’d rather not divulge which changes will take place in 2022. They will be good changes – I hope. In a time where pivoting is necessary to balance life and society, it was time to do something about it. To not be too complacent and comfortable with my world.
As I stated before, one thing remains the same – this work. It is worth fighting for. It is worth taking in consideration the eminent changes in my life this year. It is what stirs the soul no matter where.
For change to happen, I have to be healthy. All of the vertebrae issues must be resolved. I have been working towards this with some success.
On the flip side, some things have been set aside for possibly next year. I will miss this year’s Chicago Auto Show. This will be second year in-a-row that I will skip my main auto show. If I were healthier, it would have been worth a shot to do.
There will be plenty of things that will be set aside for the second half of the year, once things settle down health- and life change-wise.
This is where patience comes into play. There were moments when I was tried to put the cart before the horse. That never works. Patience must also be accompanied with a lower level of stress and anxiety. Yeah, I’ll say these things now and do the complete opposite down the line. At least, I hope not.
This is what 58 looks like right now. This is what 58 will look like in the next year. Perhaps some time to celebrate? Maybe. There’s a lot to do to make it a year that is worth celebrating.
All photos by Randy Stern