MID-LIFE

Last week I celebrated my 38th birthday. This means that I am theoretically at mid-life since the average American male life expectancy is 76. Therefore, this seems like a good time to reflect on the mid-point of my life to date and on this age.

Nineteen years ago, I was a college sophomore. I had decided that I wanted to be a doctor and was majoring in Biology. However, I still had an MCAT to take and numerous courses to ace. Somehow things worked out, and I got in. I am now a physician-scientist and spend my days trying to understand prostate cancer and how to improve the lives of men with this disease.

Nineteen years ago, I was out of shape and did not exercise regularly. Since then, I have run races of every distance from a marathon to a 5K and finished in the top three in my age group several times. I took up soccer last year and can safely say I am no longer the worst guy out there.

Nineteen years ago, I was rather unconfident and had yet to achieve much personally. I had dear friends, but I had not met many people like me. It would have been easy enough to say that I was wrong and the world was right, but I never believed that. Not for one instant despite numerous failed romantic overtures and other false starts. I suppose one could say I had no shame or that I believed that no challenge was too great to tackle. This is a trait that remains with me today and that has served me well.

I ultimately fell in love a few times and spent time with a few individuals until I met my wife. It is hard to believe that it has been eight years of marriage. Do I have eight more in me?

What words would I use to describe me now?

Particular. Driven. Efficient. Critical. Caring. Passionate. Indefatigable. Perturbable. Impatient. Sincere.

Not all of these words are complimentary, but they all describe the person whom I am today at 38. Only about half of them would have described me at 19, and it will be interesting to see which ones describe me at 57 or 76.

I believe that we are the sum of our experiences and that the people who have entered our lives, no matter for how long, shape the people whom we will become. This means that we also influence the development of those around us, and I try to remember that when I am around those pictured below. In their young selves, I already see much of myself: guileless, caring, and intense.

I have no doubt that I will continue to change and that my kids, my family, and my friends will be a big part of that. Here's to another 38 years... I hope!