A DJ Looks at 40

I turned 40 on Saturday.

It felt a lot like every other birthday I've had recently, but I realize this one has a different significance. I still feel young, there is no doubt about that, and it's a blessing.

Still, I realize that from many perspectives, I'm not. At 40, there are many things that I won't be able to do anymore. That list, while exhaustive, need not be limiting.

For example, I realize that I'm out of the running for any position on a major league baseball team. I can probably rule out most athletic achievements I had ever dreamed of (but I'm not ruling them all out!). I probably won't ski in the Olympics, nor play quarterback for the Steelers. Let's be honest, though, I've known that wasn't going to happen for a long time.

As I move past this milestone age, I'm not looking at what I can't do. I'm looking at what I can do. The things on that list are pretty similar to what I could do 5, 10 and 15 years ago. In fact, the things that I want to do actually seem more possible now than ever before.

My greatest wish is an ethereal one. It's transcendent. It's huge, and I don't see any reason why, at this point in my life, it should be anything small.

Though it's big, it's also simple. I just want to do what I'm supposed to do with my remaining time. I believe that my existence here is a piece of magic, but I often forget it. For the next 65 years of my life, I would like to not only remember the magic that I am an inextricable part of, I would also like to tap into that magic, feel it flow through me like the Force, and use it while also allowing it to use me.