Hiya, Tuesday...nice day today in the MIA...dog sweet as pie this am, life is good. So check it- last night I had an inspired conversation with a friend of mine who used to teach spin at my gym. I’ve noticed of late he’s been posting tons of photos he’s been taking on Facebook of late- I was curious if this was a new hobby, a new direction, a new gig? And because I’ve produced photography for oodles of years, I of course was skeptical about my former spin teacher becoming the next big thing on the commercial photography scene. It’s such a hard business- so much banging of collective heads against the wall, so many ups and downs, so many egos. I simply had to find out what was up. Interestingly enough, my friend just turned 40 in October. I am fully versed in turning 40, having just done so in July. I can’t stress enough how much of a turning point that is- one filled with fear and a sort of “40, really?” kind of feeling. But here’s what else happens- you find your way. FINALLY. This friend, like me, discovered a passion that laid dormant for many years, while he focused on personal training and buying and running a gym. Then he bought a camera. And the “found” happened. Just like that. He’s loving taking pictures, cares not whether he can make money from snapping away, and is doing it for the sheer love and discovery of passion. This was a relief to me- because 40, for me anyway, was all about finding that something that makes my heart pound, my brain sing, and my blood flow (my found is writing). When I started this blog, I did it just to do it- as a disciplined exercise in writing and sharing every day, five days a week. I did not think about money, writing professionally, or where this blog would take me. But because of it, and because I did it for the sheer joy of it, I got some writing gigs and am focusing on building that part of my career. I just told my husband the other night that I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life- and that is- concentrate on a writing career, hopefully get a column somewhere, and use my words a whole lot more. Maybe getting older has to do with really seeing, feeling, looking at things more carefully. And maybe those observations manifest in some sort of found creative cojones. There’s even wisdom inside coffee cups sometimes. That’s how being 40 is. You see the every day in new ways that surprise you. And I guess my friend likes surprises too, because he is going to take a lot more pictures, build a website, and continue to unearth treasures of his creativity that he never even knew existed. PS- it’s very brave to be creative and share your words, photos, drawings, dancing with the world. But guess what? 40 is all about being brave, having the courage to know yourself better than ever, and accept that the path you took to get there is showing you something completely different than what you expected. And as I sit here and write this post while listening to a little Johnny Cash (I am on a country roots bender these days), I feel inspired and grateful that others in my age group are experiencing these kind of “found” moments that are pivotal to transforming us. Don’t let anybody get in your way in pursuit of your “found”- pay no attention to what people think, fear not their judgments and negativity. When you do something for the pure love of it, the opinions of others don’t mater, because you’re being true to yourself. And sure 40 is wonky in some respects (wrinkling, more grays, hurting yourself in your sleep and waking up sore), but in most respects it’s a revelation. When I turned 30, I was so relieved to be out of my debauched 20s. When I turned 40, it was not relief, but a moment of sheer “aha”. I’m going to honor that moment and keep it with me for the next few years as I focus on my creativity. I hope my friend does the same, though I wouldn’t mind him teaching spin again. He’s great at that too. Oh and PS- this does not mean quitting everything else because you’ve got your “found”. It just means thanking the sweet Lord that you are able to make a living doing something while you pursue this love of yours. And worry about how you can stop doing the other stuff later- be grateful you’re multitalented, even if one talent is nudging you to get on with it than the others. I suppose that’s it for now. I wanted to share that because it’s truly awesome, this 40 thing- if you find your “found” earlier, good for you. I’ve always been a late bloomer, and I guess my friend is too. Whatever you’re doing today, just know you are on the road to something, like it or not. Keep moving forward and the rest will take care of itself. Just be true to yourself, be yourself, and the “found” is inevitable. And that’s what’s up this bad ass Tuesday in the MIA. XO