Lifetime

Life is so incredibly short.

I lived at home until I was 22 and then very quickly got my dream job, had a family, lost the job, got divorced, moved back in with my parents, and moved back out. For the 20 years that followed I lived alone, minus about five when I semi-cohabitated with a girlfriend. Now my parents live independently upstairs from me and my 21-year-old daughter is in the loft.

In December I’ll be 48 and that’s about all there is to say for me. Yes - my life is more interesting than that. I fell in love with the most amazing girl when I was 10 and I’ve never gotten over it. I was given a weird hug by the secretary of an US congressman in the 8th grade and found my family a place to live that year, too. The most amazing person in the universe was my pen pal. I had two prom dates. I traveled to New York and Manchester, UK and smelly paper and dangerous steel mills. I got the incredible good fortune of having kids who turned out to be amazing. And now I’m writing an incredible story with an artist I adore technically and personally.

I’ve lived a full life. I’m not a celebrity or a superstar. I’m not famous even though I’ve been on TV a couple times. I’m “just” Tim Avers.

Life is short. It’s particular. And maybe that’s the most peculiar, delightful thing about it.

I wanted no more than this - to get married and raise kids and grow old. Maybe it’s my anxiety but I didn’t want to be famous or rich or important. When I was 25 I wiped my brow with the back of my hand and thought ‘whew! this will be over in only 50 more years.’ I could have died at least three times.

I hear the wheels of my dad’s walker upstairs. I’m so glad he’s here, living in this beautiful house, knowing that his son has honored him and his wife. Knowing that doing this for them was more important to me than achieving all my most ego-driven ambitions. My mom and dad raised me right.

At times it’s still hard to believe I have another 25 years left to do this - if I’m lucky. I expect it’ll be strange. I know it won’t be what anyone else would want or dream of.

I love it.

I only lack for a couple things but I don’t think they’re things we get in this life anyway. So I don’t sweat it much.

Try to live a meaningful life as who you are.

None of us have as long as we feel.