It’s my birthday too, yeah! (Cue Beatles music.)

Today, December 29, I turned 39 years old. As is my wont, I feel compelled to discuss the ramifications: political, social, and global economic.

Well, not really. But seeing as this is a blog, I would be remiss to let this landmark day in my life pass without at least a simple post.

This time of year always conjures up a myriad of introspective emotions. On top of the holidays and the dawn of a new year, I’ve got that nagging annual reminder that I’ve traveled another year further down the path.

Another year of my life has passed that I shall never be able to recover or relive. We can’t take a mulligan on a year. We just have to deal with our hand the way we chose to play it.

I’m 39. Taking a cursory look at the current life expectancy in the United States, I’m at just about the halfway point. The average life expectancy is at about 78 years. So IF I AM LUCKY (and if my math is correct) I’ve got about 39 more years to go. Here’s a shot of my ugly mug, taken through the gorgeously wide 10mm glass that was my marquee birthday present.

Sean, Age 39 (December 29, 2008)

Looking in the rear view mirror, I feel pretty good about my time so far on the planet. But I’m also challenged — and humbled, if not downright intimidated — by the future. A little piece of the future arrives every day. What’s next?

Yes, there is a Long Long Honeymoon angle at play here. It’s precisely these sorts of introspective moments that fuel our desire to travel and experience what the world has to offer. It’s an appreciation of just how limited our time is on this planet that drives us to see more of it with the ones we love. That, my friends, is at least one compelling reason why we RV. Whenever I experience self-doubt regarding The Long, Long Honeymoon or what the heck we’re doing jaunting around the country with a silver bullet in tow, I remind myself that life is a one way trip.

Mark Twain famously observed that in the future, we’ll likely regret the things we didn’t do more than the things we actually did. With this caveat in mind, we charge forward.

Hopefully this time next year — when I turn 40 (!) — we’ll be able to look back on the preceding year with few regrets, and more fond memories.