Turning 40.

My brother is turning 40 tomorrow. Being unemployed over a year is not the way to ring in the 40th and we are both sensitive to the whole age issue. So I have been struggling to find gifts that recognize the big 4-0 and yet won't make him more depressed. I came across this helpful suggestion on a website:

Truly touching 40th birthday gift ideas take the sensitive and subtle approach of affirming a loved-one's value. The inevitable aging process can have a negative effect on self-esteem and general worth, particularly when decades pass in whole. Exclusion from youth-oriented culture often has a devastating impact, leading many to question their future and the nature of their place in society. Gifts that invest in a recipient's personal development send the message that they are still vital and worthy.

I'm more depressed then when I started. I'm hoping that this was originally written as copy for someone turning 70 - surely I'm not really as decrepit as this sounds!

BTW - as far as youth culture goes I get enough of it at Tyndale with the undergrad students. Obviously I'm old and cranky because I find them irritating! My friend picked me up from class and noted that she gave me a lot of credit! They are just so full of giggles and starry eyed optimism. I don't think I was ever optimistic :)