40in40 – Kingdom Come
Half-Life
Tony brought this to my attention. There’s only one day in your life when you’re exactly half your parent’s age. From that day forward, you are closer to your parent’s age than you are to age zero. As he explains it, this half-life is momentous because on that day, you are the same age as your parent when he or she gave birth to you.
Let that sink in a bit. Someday, you will reach the age at which your parents gave birth to you.
That day for me is 10/16/2014, just 4.73 years from now. That’s when my dad had me. I am fast approaching the point in my life where I am no longer a child, but rather a full-blown adult primed to have my own boy or girl. Shrug off this veil of purity! Clear away the safety nets! I’m a fucking grown up now.
Lucky for me, my half-life is still a lifetime away. No growing up yet, not quite. But, when I do reach that age… When I reach my half-life, I will do so responsibly. Not modestly. Not unself-consciously. Not with hopes that someone else will set right my wrongs. As Doh once told me, “I
wait at the side of my door, hoping for the opportunity to knock and I’ll answer with full force.” You see, it’s all because I believe in Superman…
Superman
I grew up believing in Superman. Somewhere out there, a greater power was fighting the good fight and making sure the world was in order. I need not fear bad guys or natural disasters or apocalyptic chaos because a very capable man was watching over everything for me. My young world was a brighter, bluer place knowing that Superman was around.
As time passed, my faith in the Man of Steel only grew stronger. His example empowered me. His stories filled me with ambition. My childhood hero turned into my modern day idol and soon enough, I didn’t just believe in him, I wanted to be like him. Then, when Superman fell, I realized I can be like him.
We’re all human, fallibly human. As humans, as mortals, we are challenged to leave an everlasting mark. How do I rise to that challenge? Who’s going to leave my mark? Nobody but me. I cannot be saved, so I cannot neglect my responsibility. I have an obligation to know who I am and where I am and what I can do. Who’s going to leave my mark? Nobody but me.
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