Some thoughts on the benefits of being older and shallow typed while listening to rainfall

November 30 2010, 7:44 PM  by Bernie Michalik

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I am enjoying a rare mild evening on my porch on the eve of December, bundled up and listening to the rain. When I was younger, I likely would have felt self conscious about doing this. However, as I age, I just don't care about the imaginary displeasure of people I don't know. Maybe I look weird or unusual, but so what. I am enjoying myself without harming anyone.

One of the few and great benefits of getting older is that the worries I may have had about what other people might think have slipped away. I do my best in what I think is important, but I could care less about the disapproval of others. When I was younger, I often thought that others knew better, and I needed to figure that out and conform to that. I am sure I have still have some of that in me, just like I have hair on my head, but just like the hair on my head, there is less of that.

The other benefit of being older than a 20 or 30 something person is the lack of fear over what I might become. Before I hit my 20s, I was keen to become whatever it was I was striving for. Once I was in my 20s and 30s, I was somewhat anxious over what I was becoming. Would I be successful? Would I end up with a spouse? A family? A home? Etc. Now, I have accomplished what I have accomplished so far, and I hope to do more, but I no longer worry about it. It is as if everything past this point is a bonus.

in a related note, there is a great benefit in choosing to be shallow, at least from time to time. A certain self confidence goes with this as well. I follow a lot of serious people on the web, and as much as I like that, I also like to follow and note and comment on what the far from serious people are doing. Life will demand seriousness from you often enough: it's up to you to pick your moments of levity, shallowness, and lightness and enjoy them while you can. Wilde sums this up perfectly when he says life is much too important to be taken seriously.

So, c'mon: lighten up. Thanks for reading this. Now g'wan and go enjoy yourself.

(Goofy photo taken as I wrote this.)
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Sent from my BlackBerry Handheld.

443 views and 3 responses

  • Nov 30 2010, 7:51 PM
    SarahSiegel (Twitter) responded:
    "Seriousness is the only refuge for the shallow" -- that's what I thought Oscar Wilde said....At least, that's how I (mis?)quoted him in my 8th grade yearbook entry. Kinda the opposite of what you just said, but I like your messages in any case, and his, too.
  • Nov 30 2010, 8:40 PM
    Archimedes Trajano responded:
    What do you mean by shallow type? I don't see you as a "shallow" is there another meaning?
  • Dec 1 2010, 6:33 AM
    Bernie Michalik responded:
    Thanks,Sarah! I like to think I user seriousness when necessary and not necessarily as a refuge.

    Archie, I used to be more shallow, but I am become more serious over time. I am working to restore the balance. :)