It's been awhile. Not that I haven't had plenty to write, just haven't taken the time to put it all down on the old computer.
Recently, I was asked about how I viewed my life and all the changes I've gone through the past year. That triggered a memory of a simple phrase which led me to the following. Hope it makes sense to you.

One of the phrases that has embedded itself into our modern lexicon is “jumping the shark”. It comes from an episode of “Happy Days” when the Fonz literally water-skied over a shark. According to reviewers, this episode marked the decline of the series.

Recently, I asked myself if my life had “jumped the shark”. We constantly refer to humans as reaching the peak of their life, midlife, over the hill, downside of life, and so on. In a story I wrote some years back, the main character described the moment in his life when he was “no longer reaching for the stars because he had started digging his grave”.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point, he talks about the quickness of some changes, things that happen in the blink of an eye that is the tipping point toward a different direction.

Within a sixty day period, my wife was diagnosed with cancer, I was diagnosed with a double torn meniscus which in turn cost me my job, and I became officially retired. A few months later, it was determined that I was not just injured, but permanently disabled.
For much of my life, I had been involved with a dozen or more volunteer and charitable organizations and served as an officer in many of them. Because of the “tipping point” I quietly resigned from most.

Nine months later, I find myself spending the vast majority of my time at home, something I was totally unaccustomed to doing, and in doing so, I also began the process of assuming many of the responsibilities of running a household. With some of my time now being freed from other duties, I am able to resume writing, a passion I’ve had for many years.

I am able to spend some precious time with Nancy, my kids, my new daughter-in-law, my future daughter-in-law, and my brand new granddaughter. I’m working on some home projects that I’ve put off for years. Having always been one to wake early, I can now spend time reading and following world events and still have time for a leisurely breakfast or brunch. And just today I was asked to assist our neighborhood association board in a “consultant” type role.

So to answer my own question, has my life “jumped the shark?” Maybe. But jumping the shark isn’t necessarily a bad thing, so says the Fonz. Happy Days went on to remain one of the top rated shows for the next six years. So maybe, just maybe, it isn’t about jumping the shark as much as how and where you land. And some of us are able to land in smooth water and hang on safely to ski another day.
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Speaking of sharks, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite shark songs: Jimmy Buffett and Fins:

She came down from Cincinnati
It took her three days on the train
Lookin' for some peace and quiet
Hoped to see the sun again

But now she lives down by the ocean
She's takin' care to look for sharks
They hang out in the local bars
And they feed right after dark

Chorus:
Can't you feel 'em circlin', honey
Can't you feel 'em swimmin' around
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you're the only bait in town
Oh oh
Oh oh
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you're the only girl in town

She's saving up all of her money
Wants to head it south in May
Maybe roll in the sand with a rock 'n' roll man
Somewhere down Montserrat way

But the money's good in the season
Helps to lighten up her load
Boys keep her high as the months go by
She's getting postcards from the road

Chorus:
Can't you feel 'em closin' in, honey
Can't you feel 'em schoolin' around
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you're the only girl in town

Sailed off to Antigua
It took her three days on a boat
Lookin' for some peace and quiet
Maybe keep her dreams afloat

But now she feels like a remora
'Cause the school's still close at hand
Just behind the reef are the big white teeth
Of the sharks that can swim on the land

Chorus:
Can't you feel 'em circlin', honey
Can't you feel 'em schoolin' around
You got fins to the left, fins to the right
And you're the only bait in town