21 Comments
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Des Bateman's avatar

Needed this. Thanks. Beautiful list. And a late happy birthday.

David Armano's avatar

So glad it got to you at what sounds like the right time

Pete Blackshaw's avatar

Just outstanding. Just outstanding! Your writing as always been an inspiration to me, but this takes the prize. Happy Birthday, David!

David Armano's avatar

Pete. Really appreciate that. Thank you

Kevin Mangini's avatar

This was a fabulous read, thank you for sharing. Happy Birthday!

Patou Nuytemans's avatar

Happy birthday. Love the list and the heart it is written with. 🙏🏻

Scott Hess's avatar

55 Lessons?

Lordy, I thought. Can I just read the good ones?

And yet: You've done it! 55 good ones!

Thanks much for sharing your list. So many of these resonate with me, a guy five years "more experienced" than you. Well done, David.

G. Mark Ivey's avatar

Great list. It's interesting how your perspective changes as you get older. When you're 30 or 40, you never rarely think about death because it's so far in the future it's irrelevant to your daily life. Your life is likely consumed by dealing with work, raising a family, the busy-ness of life. By your 50s, you realize, as you put it, there's more years behind you than ahead of you. By your 60s, you may see an old friend or two pass, and more as ou go into your 70s. I was shocked when my old high school classmate "Paul" suddenly died of cancer a couple of years ago. He was the star athlete, student leader, went on to the Air Force academy and broke records as a receiver, and then on to become an American Air pilot. Then, suddenly, he's gone. I talk about death, not to dwell on darkness, but knowing it defines life as we know it and illustrates our changing views as we age. On the positive side, as I'm finding, aging and the wisdom that comes with it can be quite liberating. Enjoy the moment. Happy Birthday.

Rob Davis's avatar

This is incredible. Happy birthday

Mike Rohde's avatar

Happy birthday, David! Thanks for the wisdom as our gift. :-)

David Armano's avatar

Thanks so much Mike!

Satvinder Dhingra's avatar

Thank you for the “take home” birthday present.

Tobin Trevarthen's avatar

Wow. I am a few years down the road on you. I found myself nodding profusely in your words. Happy Birthday and thank you for the gift. 🎁

Richard Nortier's avatar

Happy birthday!

Rishad Tobaccowala's avatar

Happy Birthday. 55 wonderful pearls of wisdom, insight and learning !

David Armano's avatar

High praise coming from you Rishad. The pearls of wisdom OG!

In Pursuit of the Customer's avatar

This is wonderful. Happy birthday David!

Jory Des Jardins's avatar

I needed to take this in in more than one sitting Dave! You were right--I nodded my head the whole way. You have a way of extrapolating simple truths that for whatever reason are hard to learn.

Arielle Johncox's avatar

Happy birthday! What a wonderful list of lessons.

Manu Chatlani's avatar

Loved it. Inspiring. And makes you ponder. We need to talk.