"That Was 25 Years Ago???"

(Written 8-17-11 by ChristopherK2 for the Nice Marylanders Over 35 Blog)

I was watching one of my fav movies, "Top Gun," the other night and they noted it was the movie's 25th anniversary.

I about spilled my root beer! 25 years?!?!?!?! I would've guessed maybe 10. 15 tops. But 25??? Lordy... Time sure does seem to fly when you're old and have a crappy memory.

Later, I thought back to that time, mid-1986. What was I doing then, and how much has my life changed? Just a few high-lowlights:

Back then... I was still semi-happily married with two stepsons! That ended two years later, and I haven't since remarried nor have I ever had any children of my own. Bleeh...

My career as a consulting attorney to insurance companies was going full blast. It too would end a little later. Am I sensing a trend?

Less than a year later I would turn the Big 4-0, thereby officially ending my chances to become starting quarterback for the Colts, an astronaut, and President of the U.S. ... My childhood dreams were all dead. Yep, a clear trend. "Top Gun" caused all of my misery at that time!

Back then... my mom was still a vigorous 66 (just two years older than I am now), and my brother was just 42. We were ALL sooooooooooo much younger, and full of ourselves and about our futures.

Back then... I was still in pretty good physical shape, mainly from coaching my stepsons in basketball, baseball, and soccer. Now I garden...

The World News was generally awful: The Space Shuttle Challenger blew up. The nuclear reactor at Chernobyl blew up. Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked by Terrorists. The Iran-Contra affair blew up in our faces. Lots of blowing up that year...

But still... I'd far rather be here in my place and doing what I now do, than back then. I feel like I'm home now, and very relaxed and happy.