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The Secret of Staying Young
A Birthday Reflection from the Seven Seas
"The secret of staying young is lying about your age. But the art of living well? That's telling the truth about everything else."
I have another birthday February 13th. I will be spending it in Cozumel, Mexico—another port of call in this ongoing experiment of location independence and conscious wandering.
Geography is the topography of ignorance, a finite disappointment not only when the map becomes the territory, but when you actually visit these hole-in-the-wall places. In most cases, it's a lot better to transcend reality with imagination, re-framing the conversation. "Melbourne was awesome," "Ghana? Amazing!" "India? A magical delight." The expectation is often more intoxicating than the experience.
⚓ The Maritime Philosophy of Aging
Yet, you don't quit countries, you quit people, and I have to say the best ships are friendships. I have met some amazing people while sailing around the world—both literally and metaphorically. After 10 ships, yes ten, I no longer want to cast doubt on perfection—America. There's nothing I wouldn't do for my country, and there's nothing it wouldn't do for me. And that's the way we go through life—doing nothing for each other.
Navigation Principle #1: The Compass of Contentment
Going out to sea is the infinity of hope, the preview of life's coming attractions where you have final cut in your own movie. You can lose yourself in the ocean's food for thought. Its menu is the meal, and itineraries are full of promises. It gives you a sense of destination and the energy to get started again.
Call it faith! A passion for the possible. I am full of it, and shooting from the hip—that is to say, having an adventure is something more but nothing less than bad planning. When I cold-called for my first ship job and got it after a 12-minute elevator pitch, I began to trust myself, and only when you trust yourself can you truly begin to live it up.
🎯 The Poker Player's Guide to Birthday Wisdom
But I'm not a sailor. Maybe a sailor with a small 's'. Living on a ship, however, might be summed up as monotony tinged with hysteria. It's not real life but an alibi. It is like going out of your mind every day in order to come to your senses; and a fool who persists in his folly becomes wise.
The Four Pillars of Age-Defying Wisdom
Every birthday is a new hand dealt. Play it with curiosity, not fear.
The best poker face is authenticity. Age brings depth, not decay.
Wisdom isn't stubbornness. Sometimes the best move is letting go.
Take ownership of your narrative. You're not aging—you're accumulating.
🗺️ A Journey Through Time: Birthday Chronicles
Embracing the expat life forced upon me, I have had nothing to do and all day to do it. An accident of birth, being born in the USA, I won the geographically-desirable-places-to-live-on-the-planet lottery, and have squandered my inheritance in the United States of Unconsciousness—a shared hallucination of "any place but here" and "the grass is greener."
50 was a big year—I remember that one. Thailand taught me that age is just a number, but experience is priceless currency. The Land of Smiles showed me that happiness doesn't require a passport, just perspective.
49 was just as sweet with a slice of Aloha. Sometimes life catches fire, literally. But with enough duct tape and resilience, even a burning SAAB can teach you about improvisation and the beauty of making do.
51 was Caymania. Dancing with stingrays taught me that danger and beauty often swim together. The secret isn't avoiding the sharp edges of life—it's learning to move gracefully around them.
52 was New Zealand's North Island. In the land of the long white cloud, I discovered that clarity comes not from having all the answers, but from asking better questions over exceptional coffee.
53 was the USA. Coming home taught me that the most exotic destination is often your own backyard, seen with fresh eyes and an open heart.
The grass actually is greener where you water it.
🎲 The Happiness Equation: A Birthday Algorithm
As I approach another February 13th, I've developed what I call the Birthday Happiness Equation. It's not about adding years—it's about multiplying experiences and dividing worries.
Happiness = (Authentic Experiences × Meaningful Connections) ÷ (Expectations + Regrets)
Every birthday is an opportunity to recalibrate this equation. The numerator should grow exponentially; the denominator should approach zero. This isn't mathematics—it's philosophy disguised as arithmetic.
I've learned that birthdays aren't about celebrating the passage of time; they're about honoring the accumulation of wisdom. Each year isn't an ending—it's a new chapter in the greatest story you'll ever tell: your own.
🚢 Continue the Journey
These reflections are just the beginning. Dive deeper into the philosophy of conscious living, location independence, and finding happiness in the spaces between destinations.
What's your experience? Share your own birthday wisdom and location independence stories in the comments below. Where has life surprised you the most?