Dennis McNicholas on the Benefits of Taking Chances Later in Life

Good morning to the Guideposts readers and family. My name is Dennis McNicholas.

I’m fascinated by phases of life, in moving on, trying never to be content. Some 15 years ago, our children got me involved in doing triathlons, and that was wonderful. I did a lot of training. We did a half-Ironman, a 70-mile race, and spent hours and hours and hours during the week training.

The reading from the Second Epistle from St. Paul to Timoth that I read when I eulogized my brother Tim, who died last September is now more my philosophy than just doing races. He said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race and I have kept the faith.”

Now in this phase of my life, I think my goal is to stay healthy and present, so that I’m there for my children and grandchildren and my wife, who need me. So it’s not so much about me and getting medals for races. I mean, that’s fine, but that’s not what life is supposed to be. It was a phase and it was wonderful.

So, another favorite author of mine, George Bernard Shaw, he said, “When I die, I want to be thoroughly used up.” And so my goal now is to leave nothing in the tank. My children, my grandchildren, my wife, the community around me, my friends, my church community…to be there when they need me and leave nothing when I go.

Thank you for listening and I hope you have a wonderful day.