The past year has proven Confucius to be the eternal sage I always knew him to be, when he uttered the greatest truth of aging that I have found, to date: We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one. You might argue that today, marks the true beginning of my second life – and in the spirit of celebrating the proverbial back nine… here are 51 things I’ve learned:

1. Love stays.  It does a million other things, in a million different ways, in an infinite number of places, and for an infinite number of people.  But most importantly, it stays.
2. Making time for people is the best investment you can make.
3. Pick up the damn phone and call.  (Corollary – Answer the damn phone).
4. Your legacy will be defined, exclusively, by the help you give to others.
5. Spend your time around people who share your vision for the future, no matter what they think of the present.
6. Your rivals are secretly your best friends; you just don’t know it yet.
7. Despite five decades of enlightenment, I still have trouble not imagining violence when in traffic.
8. Teenagers will never be funny.  Ever.  But they can still be awesome. 
9. College is expensive.  Being uneducated is more expensive.
10. Nihilism is cowardice of the mind and spirit; and it also doesn’t make any sense.
11. The world runs on the hopes of men and women between the ages of 20 and 40, and that is not an infinite resource. 
12. It costs nothing to genuinely encourage others, but it is priceless.
13. I can think of no more pervasive and objective human flaw than those who “enjoy getting a rise out of” someone else. Leave these people be, they aren’t ok – and they aren’t going to be. 
14. You can learn a lot about someone by the way they play board games.
15. Video calls are awesome – but not the same as spending time together.
16. “Yes” is always will be more exciting, valuable, and human, than “no.”
17. Friendship is the most important form of love.
18. Take more pictures.  You’ll want them later and if you don’t curate your memories, who will?
19. It’s not the screen that’s ruining your kids; it’s your lack of control and understanding of what’s on that screen.  Just because it keeps them quiet, doesn’t mean it’s good for them.
20. It costs nothing to encourage others in whatever they are working towards! But, it might be just the thing that gets them through – and that is everything.
21. If your religion makes you hate anyone who don’t know, you’re doing it wrong.
22. No matter what the news says, there is infinitely more good and peace than evil and conflict in this world.
23. Conversation is a skill.  Practice.
24. We are not the promises we make, we are the promises we keep – and the things we do, without promising them at all.
25. Generation X would never survive as modern kids – I know we like to think we would, but nope.  But we will always have the best music, and we are funnier than you.
26. Unless you’re picking up the check, stop complaining about how it’s split. 
27. Life on the sidelines is no life at all.  It starts when you join in.
28. If it’s easy to be good at, it’s worthless. Challenges are life.
29. We lost way more than we thought during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The first step to getting it back will be to admit what we lost.
30. Complement strangers; but only criticize who you actually know.
31. Generosity never goes out of style, especially when undertaken privately.
32. Learn how to lose with dignity, respect, and curiosity; there are always more losses than wins – even for champions.  Actually, especially for champions.
33. Look people in the eyes.  Always.
34. Anyone who actually needs their hypocrisy pointed out to them will not care one bit about it.   Save your breath.
35. If you wouldn’t shout at someone on the sidewalk, don’t shout at it someone online.
36. Don’t forget to breathe.
37. We all talk a different language when we speak in defense.
38. Life is always better with a good soundtrack.
39. There are more rules than you think there are; they are enforced less strictly than you think they are.
40. Get up earlier. 
41. Your taste buds evolve – try something you used to hate; you might surprise yourself!
42. No matter what you do, gents, have one custom suit that fits you like it should.
43. Celebrate frequently – with an occasion or otherwise.
44. The best anti-aging medicine is movement.
45. Accept more invitations.
46. No one has ever done anything great, alone.
47. Life is a bring your own energy party.  Plan accordingly.
48. Don’t let places happen to you – let yourself happen to places.
49. You are living the life that your kids and friends will tell stories of, so give them something good to talk about!
50. Sing in your car!
51. The best questions are the ones you’re terrified to ask.  Ask anyway.