Spherical Planet
Well-known member
I'm going to turn 50 in three months and I think it's a good time to reflect on my life so far and to consider what the future holds.
Thus far, I have been blessed and a little bit more besides. I had the great fortune of having the greatest people I've known as my role-models, mentors and parents and I have a peculiar, weird, eccentric older brother who, in spite of his strangeness, always did me a solid turn when I needed it. I also had another brother, my twin - Peter, who couldn't be arsed with the whole 'life' thing and decided to bypass the nonsense and go straight to heaven.
I have a daughter who also decided that life was a bit of an inconvenience and chose to keep an eye on me from a safe distance. She's never too far away though and she has a habit of messing about with my watch from time-to-time.
I miss my dog and I love my cat.
I've screwed up in a million different ways, but somehow always managed to land on my feet.
I have three great friends who have been with me for most of my life and that bond has extended beyond being a secondary family and has evolved to something greater.
My health has been relatively good and whatever mistakes I have made in my relationships, then that is all on me. I've made my apologies and they appear to have been accepted.
There are things I won't forget, but I can't be annoyed holding grudges, so it's easier for me to forgive.
Then there is the one thing beyond my family that has always been there with me throughout my conscious life: Glasgow Celtic
The one feature in my life which has been responsible for allowing me to feel every human emotion. From abject misery to unbridled joy. From destructive rage to blissful calm.
Celtic has also allowed me to share experiences with thousands of like-minded folk, but in the last 12-months or so, it has also provided me the great pleasure of making all of your acquaintances.
We don't always agree and we don't always get on, but there are very few of you who have featured on this site that I wouldn't welcome the opportunity to break bread with and share some boat drinks with.
I'm not sure if I would enjoy sailing off the edge of the flat world, but apart from that, I feel honoured to have shared your thoughts, opinions and experiences. I'm glad that we don't always agree, but I'm even happier that those disagreements are soon forgotten.
So now that I'm approaching the half-century, I want to express, very clearly, how privileged I feel to have encountered the vast, vast majority of you through this medium.
From the mods to the regular contributors. From the young team to the old brigade. From those who are near - to those who are far away. I can't think of a better group of folk I would like to share the future with beyond those I have previously mentioned.
I have been educated. I have been informed. I have been entertained. I have laughed. I have cried. I have been happy and I have been sad.
These are the emotive responses of a contented man who has had regular exposure to decent folk.
There is no currency that can buy decency. That's an inherited trait passed down through the genes and from lifes lessons learned.
Today has confirmed what I already knew to be true in most of you already. Decency, kindness, friendship and empathy is in you all (well mostly all).
Thank you doesn't seem quite enough, but I am not educated or articulate enough to put it any other way.........Thank You.
Thus far, I have been blessed and a little bit more besides. I had the great fortune of having the greatest people I've known as my role-models, mentors and parents and I have a peculiar, weird, eccentric older brother who, in spite of his strangeness, always did me a solid turn when I needed it. I also had another brother, my twin - Peter, who couldn't be arsed with the whole 'life' thing and decided to bypass the nonsense and go straight to heaven.
I have a daughter who also decided that life was a bit of an inconvenience and chose to keep an eye on me from a safe distance. She's never too far away though and she has a habit of messing about with my watch from time-to-time.
I miss my dog and I love my cat.
I've screwed up in a million different ways, but somehow always managed to land on my feet.
I have three great friends who have been with me for most of my life and that bond has extended beyond being a secondary family and has evolved to something greater.
My health has been relatively good and whatever mistakes I have made in my relationships, then that is all on me. I've made my apologies and they appear to have been accepted.
There are things I won't forget, but I can't be annoyed holding grudges, so it's easier for me to forgive.
Then there is the one thing beyond my family that has always been there with me throughout my conscious life: Glasgow Celtic
The one feature in my life which has been responsible for allowing me to feel every human emotion. From abject misery to unbridled joy. From destructive rage to blissful calm.
Celtic has also allowed me to share experiences with thousands of like-minded folk, but in the last 12-months or so, it has also provided me the great pleasure of making all of your acquaintances.
We don't always agree and we don't always get on, but there are very few of you who have featured on this site that I wouldn't welcome the opportunity to break bread with and share some boat drinks with.
I'm not sure if I would enjoy sailing off the edge of the flat world, but apart from that, I feel honoured to have shared your thoughts, opinions and experiences. I'm glad that we don't always agree, but I'm even happier that those disagreements are soon forgotten.
So now that I'm approaching the half-century, I want to express, very clearly, how privileged I feel to have encountered the vast, vast majority of you through this medium.
From the mods to the regular contributors. From the young team to the old brigade. From those who are near - to those who are far away. I can't think of a better group of folk I would like to share the future with beyond those I have previously mentioned.
I have been educated. I have been informed. I have been entertained. I have laughed. I have cried. I have been happy and I have been sad.
These are the emotive responses of a contented man who has had regular exposure to decent folk.
There is no currency that can buy decency. That's an inherited trait passed down through the genes and from lifes lessons learned.
Today has confirmed what I already knew to be true in most of you already. Decency, kindness, friendship and empathy is in you all (well mostly all).
Thank you doesn't seem quite enough, but I am not educated or articulate enough to put it any other way.........Thank You.