I guess it is because we both turn 50 this year, as well. In fact, Ruth Ann has already had her 50th birthday and mine is coming soon. We recently had a joint celebration, and had to work to convince the cake decorator that, Yes, we really did want the cake to say Birthdays (plural).So, you might ask - if you have been following this blog for long, what is it like to turn 50 during the senior year of seminary? It is quite interesting, to say the least. While many of our classmates are straight out of college (expected to graduate at the ripe old age of 25 or 26), we also have several classmates who are about our age, or even older. Seminary is no longer full of 20 something men - it now includes men and women, from every age - straight out of college to a retired doctor who decided to come to seminary a week after closing his practice. About half of seminarians at Lutheran seminaries these days are second (or third or fourth) career and the rest come right out of college. Programs like Project Connect are helping to bring more young people to seminary, but more and more people seem to decide on a mid-life career change that includes going back to school - to become a chef, a pastor, a doctor, or something else that did not seem to be an option when they younger.
So yes, we are a bit preoccupied by the number 50 this year. Like everything else, we are thankful to reach the age of 50 in good health and to be able to attend seminary. We are thankful that so many have remembered us as we turn 50. And yes - we look forward to graduating this year - school is hard at 50!
As I turn 50, I have memories of reading Jimmy Buffett's book, A Pirate Looks at 50. I really enjoyed that book a few years ago - I think it is time to read it again.
1 comment:
I notice that you made sure to point out that I am older than you!
Seriously though, I should take this opportunity to apologize for hinting that I'm just older because you were late arriving.
(For those who don't know, I tease Ray that I as the fourth child, must surely have arrived early and that he as the first child probably arrived late; hence if he had just arrived on time he would actually be older...)
But Ray's mom cleared him on the charge of always being late by telling me this weekend that he did in fact arrive a couple of days before his due date of Valentine's Day!
My apologies, dear!
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