I turn 40 today.

To steal a line from Lennon and McCartney, the day has been creeping toward me like a nun.

Certainly age is a number, but perhaps we give some numbers greater meaning than others. As this day approached, I found myself looking back on my life.

What have I accomplished?
How am I doing?
Where have I succeeded?
Where have I failed?

And what did it all mean?

I found that in looking back, my tendency was to grade my life on some sort of scale relative to other people. In some areas, I felt like I was ahead. And in others, I was behind.

But the truth is that my life is my life. It’s a work in progress. Always will be. And it will never be quite like anyone else’s.

Reflecting on my life, it feels best to say that the first four decades of my life have been really, really wonderful and leave it at that.

What really feels good is leave the past in the past and to focus on all that’s ahead of me.

… I only expect things to get better and better from here.