Sixty Is The New Fifteen

My dad recently had his 60th birthday (technically it was his 15th, as he's a leap year) so my brother and I packed up our bags and headed home to be there for the celebration.

My dad is a musician, so it was fitting that he would be playing a show to kick off his 60th year on the planet Earth.

I guess I should give a little back story about my Dad. He was the lead singer of the band Prism in the early 80’s, and has played some huge acts including Burton Cummings and John Entwistle. My dad pretty much gave up his career in music to help raise us kids.

I’ve seen my Dad play music countless times in my life, but the performance on his 60th birthday was the most special. A huge crowd of friends and family from throughout the community showed up. The catch phrase of the night was, “You might look good for 60, but for a 15-year-old you look like shit.”

While it was nice to see all the recognizable faces, it was my Dad’s performance that really stood out for me. As the night went on and my dad and the band gained momentum, you could feel a spark of something special going on in the room. People were dancing and singing, stomping and clapping. My Dad looked like a man 20 years his junior, and his energy and enthusiasm were contagious. Here was a man who at 60 years old could still rock and do what he loves at a high level. It was truly inspiring.

The night, as eye-opening as it was, left me feeling a little bittersweet.