Martin's thoughts at 15/60

29 February 2008

It is not often that I get to use a 29 February date. I have always had fun with my birth date and this year was no different. I used the “I am 15 today” several times and waited for the light to turn on with some until they realized what I was saying. I remember when Jared and I were twelve in the same year (1996) and Reagan and I will be sixteen in 2012. However, I am also sixty today and hopefully one year wiser. I thought sixty year olds were “old” but I don’t feel a lot different that I did twenty years ago. OK, so I can’t throw a ball as well or run a 100 yard dash as fast (blasted Achilles tendon), but I feel good and awake each day ready to get something accomplished.

If the past year had a theme for me, it would be “Evaluating life’s priorities”. As each quarter came and went and my PSA reading would be less than detectable each time, I breathed a sigh of relief and felt my gift of life was extended. I have had to ask myself “extended” for what? We have achieved our financial goal but I know that could be wiped out almost overnight so I am not holding that as fulfilling my life’s accomplishments on that theme. Besides, with each passing month I am more convinced that all of our stuff is just that so I am trying not to stock our shelves with things.

What else might it be? As I watch my parents age, as I am sure our children are doing with us, I must ask myself about my relationship with my parents. I know each time that I am with them or am visiting with them on the telephone, I welcome those moments. I still learn from them and often it is something I am discovering about myself. I still want to obtain a more complete history about Mom so I am hoping that can be accomplished in the near future. Mom continues to be hesitant so I hope that some day it isn’t too late.

Late last year I finally assembled several hundred of our photographic slides and sent them off for duplication. I have many more to do but it is something that must be done. I hope my family has the same experience as I did as I was reviewing them. I experienced joys and thoughts of time gone by but not lost. I moved from my mission years to our early marriage to some slides in the mid-1990s. I need to assemble about two more shipments but now I will be able to share the record with all of the children. I think it is good that we cannot view our individual lives in the future because that would interfere, I feel, with our God given agency. However, we all have plenty of guidance on those things of most importance to give us a good road map for joy and fulfillment in the future. All that needs to be done is to exercise the faith necessary and listen to the whisperings of the Spirit to move confidentially forward.

My best presents came with the hug from Louise and a visit from all of the children. As I see my relationship with Louise deepen and watch our children and their families grow and develop, it is truly pay back time. It is deeply satisfying in knowing that, as I received in my Patriarchal blessing, that my joy would be in seeing my children saying and doing the things that I would desire them to do. I appreciate my replacement for my worn out slippers, new shirt and pants, cologne, bag of Fritos, and the I Fly experience where I floated along in an 80 mph wind as if I were free falling. It was a fun experience – I am not going to throw myself out of a perfectly good airplane so that was my free fall experience.

What does the future year hold in store for me. I certainly do not know but I am making some strategic plans for my retirement. It will not just be a time for leisure but I intend on actively learning new things, developing skills and enlarging talents, and doing a great deal of service. I intend on leaving this world a better place than I find it in 2008.

Martin W. Peterson/Martin/Dad, Hyde Park, Utah