I’m turning 50 this week.

I’m not yet fifty — it’s just five days away — but I thought I’d lead you through my journey, and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two that will help you on your journey.

When I was little my favorite color was green.

Green? 

Not green, as in the color of money.

Green was the color of my Uncle Bill’s uniform (pictured on the left).

Green was the color of the hat I’m wearing in this picture.

Green was the color of my plastic soldiers.

I’m turning 50.  I’ve thought about it all year.

I’ve interviewed dozens of people over fifty to talk with them about their lives.  I’ve asked many questions, and sought many answers.  Mostly I’ve listened.  As I’ve listened I’ve heard some wonderful tales about remarkable people.

I’m not yet fifty — it’s just days away — but I thought I’d lead you through my journey, and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two that will help you on your journey.

I Wanna Be A Hero

Over and over again I daydreamed of being a hero.

When I was a teen I had a conversation with my dad about my future career choices.

Since I was a little boy I was known as “Scotty the Scientist”, so clearly a career in the sciences made sense for me. So it was a surprise to my dad when I mentioned that I thought about becoming a police officer.

That dream was more based on my fantasies about being a hero than understanding the what the job would entail.

Right Up Your Alley - What You Do Reveals Who You Are Becoming 

The Book of Man by William J. Bennett

Let’s Bring Back Heroes

“Men are called to be heroes in ways both big and small in every area of their lives, all the areas we cover in this book—war, work, and play; civic life, family life, and prayer life. What follows is a piece I wrote more than forty years ago and one whose message serves as a foundation for the pieces to follow. Whether we take up the sword, the plow, the ball, the gavel, our children, or our Bibles, we must always do it like the men we are called to be.”

The Dark Knight Rises opened last night. He’s a brave risk-taker.
But, I’m not a multimillionaire, so I’ll never be like Bruce Wayne.

The Amazing Spiderman opened a few weeks ago. He’s a brave risk-taker.
But, I’m not going to be bit by a radioactive spider, so I’ll never be like Peter Parker.

What kind of hero — what kind of bold, heroic, risk-taker — might you and I become?

Real World Heroes = Risk-Takers

Yesterday I had an hour-long conversation with a university professor who teaches potential risk-takers; she teaches entrepreneurship. It was a fascinating discussion about the challenges of taking great ideas and creating great opportunities.

Last year I introduced you to my hero, June Oulund.  Today I’d like to introduce you to two more of my heroes.

We spent the weekend with my college roommate Gerry Andersen and his wife Julie.  Though we haven’t seen each other for almost twenty years, it’s like our relationship was on pause and we took up the conversation instantly.

Where Have They Been?

Gerry and Julie live in a small village in the mountains of Mexico with people who have never had their language in written form.

A search of google took 0.35 seconds to come up with 34 results, some of which have nothing to do with June.

How could my hero be so anonymous?

Sometimes heroes are like that. Living their lives without the publicity.

Heroes Are Usually Uncommonly Common People

Growing up I wanted to be a hero, to be special, to feel special, to do something special. I read comic books and admired public figures.

It’s funny, and sad, that it took me years until I realized that when I was seven years old, while sitting in a rickety wooden chair in a children’s program called Whirlybirds, that I sat in the presence of a genuine American treasure!