A Reason To Live

As I grow older, which I enjoy very much and welcome it, I find that what is important to me is changing. The lens of age, instead of getting blurry and out of focus, has actually sharpened, and I see much clearer than when I was a younger man. When we are young we are blinded by the blissful ignorance of youth, and then as the trappings of youthful immortality are stripped away over the years, what is important finally comes into view in all of its magnificence, beauty and simplicity.
What follows are twenty good reasons that I find inspiring and motivating each and every day and not all at once of course. They propel me to get up and sally forth into the light of day, and because life has, and is, my greatest instructor in this regard, I have included some fun and not so fun (after all, some lessons are more painful than others - instructional nonetheless) anecdotes which led me to each understanding or "truth" if you will.
I invite you to come along with me as I describe some of these life events and how they have motivated and inspired me and to this day continue to help me live a loving, nurturing and fulfilling life. Who knows? You may find inspiration, motivation, beauty, or perhaps a new point of view or lens through which you can view the world, and closer to home, the events and circumstances in your own life.
As for me, through the thorny hardships and the just as abundant times of milk and honey, I wouldn't change a thing. All of these experiences were necessary for me to become the human being and man I am today.