45 is a good number. 45 is half of 90 - and 4 plus 5 equals 9. 9 x 5 is also 45. I don't normally enjoy numbers much, as I am more of a words person, but, I like the number 45.
As a stage of life, I am experiencing a surprisingly pleasing feeling, of starting the second half. Apparently GK Chesterton used to say at the end of every day, "Do you mean I get to do that all over again tomorrow?" meaning just, live another day. I feel that about my life. I am totally assuming I'll make it to 90, which seems a good possibility right now. Another whole half to go! And this time, starting with a lot more knowledge, understanding, language, and skills than I had for the first half. At least, for now, until they start to dwindle...
Things which I have got stuck on, like a cross-stitch of Noah's Ark which I started when Abby was a baby (!), I am now going to finish. Things I learned but forgot, like my knowledge of Hebrew, I am going to relearn. Dan is starting work at Redcliffe College in July and I plan to get involved there.
I feel like I have reached the middle of a book which I am enjoying, and am looking forward to reading the rest.
I just checked, and according to Wikipedia, life expectancy in Zambia, where I once lived, is still only 42. In Zimbabwe it is 43. In Uganda it is 51.5. In UK, it is 80.5. It is still an unequal world... What will it take to give everyone the same share of years?
Still even in England, in aiming for 90 I am being optimistic, but I come from healthy stock... (And of course, this is also assuming that climate change doesn't wipe us all out in the next thirty years...)
So, not a crisis for me at this point, but a hope for the future, for the second half. For which I am thankful.
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