40 adventures are waiting

Today is kind of a cool day.  After all, it's palindromic!  5 14 15 (today's date) is the same backwards and forwards (just like the name bob.  Also racecar and 'amore, Roma' - I get extra credit for having one in Italian.)  Of course, for those of you reading this in Europe (or anywhere else outside the USA) it's just a normal day of 14 5 15.  Boooooring....

Oh, also today is my birthday. And it's number 39.  That means that I have been around for 14,244 days or, if you like it's 20,511,360 minutes (thank you 'Rent'). 

It also means that I am now entering into my 40th year of life.  So, at this point, I think I am supposed to crawl into a corner of my room and start lamenting about how old I am or about how much I have learned or what I have accomplished.  (Don't get me wrong, those last two are probably worthwhile.)  Or maybe reflect on my coming to the top of the hill which I will be over next year, or I could tell myself that 40 is really the new 30. 

But, I don't know, I'm not really in the mood to do any of those things.  Maybe it's because I'm too busy trying to figure out St. Thomas Aquinas' metaphysics, or trying to sift through the symbolic implications of the Gospel of John, or trying to remember the Canon Law impediments to marriage.  (Exams are coming up, can you tell?) 

But maybe it's because there are a lot of adventures awaiting me in this 40th year of life. After all, there are some big things coming up in this year when I say "39."  I'll be moving back to the States (just when I'm getting a handle on Italian!)  I will be starting a new job (sorry, it hasn't been officially announced yet so I can't say anything.)  And I will undergo an ontological change (that's theology talk for saying I'll be ordained a priest - that one I can say is on October 3.)  It seems like that's enough for number 39. 

But, then, why stop there? 

Why not just celebrate my way into 40?  So, here's my plan - to have 40 adventures this year.  They might be big, they might be small.  Some might be alone or with some of you.  Some might be very ordinary things that I have done a million times already but get turned into an adventure.  It's not a bucketlist, and there's nothing that I HAVE to do.  And there are some things I won't do.  They are simply adventures - 40 intentional times to celebrate and to enjoy.  40 intentional times to say "Wow, what a life I have!"  40 intentional times to thank God for this life and to thank God for all those people who have gotten me to 39.

For those who have read this far...BRAVO!  For those who got here because you just looked at the pictures....BRAVO!  So, if you have any suggestions for adventures, let me know.  I won't promise anything.  And remember that I have taken vows of obedience, poverty and chastity!  But let's go on some adventures. 

Ciao!

Thanks to my friend Toni who inspired me with her "40 shenanigans"!