Fearless Friday.

It's funny how life goes. Not some of the time. But mostly all of the time.

Maybe this is something you can only accept and appreciate when you're a little older. When you've got some money in your 401(K), your mortgage is mostly paid, and your existence isn't quite so hand to mouth as it was when you were young.

When I was 56 I lost my job. I was fearful that my days of having a regular job were perilously close to coming to an end. Forever.

What agency in their right mind (that's supposed to be funny--agency/right mind) would hire someone who, in advertising parlance, is about 20 years into his dotage?

I was scared. 

As scared, to tell you the truth, as I was at 29 when my wife delivered our daughter. Shit. I better make some money.

Fear has a way of kicking you in the ass. Of waking you up in the morning and pushing you forward. Of making you work so you can earn/

When I was 29, when I was 56, it drove me to find a way. It drove me to get that job.

As New York's oldest living copywriter, I can tell you, working is not easy. You have to deal with a lot of things because of your age that aren't really fair. You always have to reckon with the specter that you can be canned at any moment because you're old, expensive and no one really wants you around. After all, you're old and expensive.

But something's happened to me. I've learned something through the years. I've learned to no longer be afraid of fear.

Life is full of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I've dealt with that weaponry my entire life.

I'm not special. 

So have you.

You'll be much happier when you come to terms with those barbs.

You'll be much happier when you accept that they can, yes, hurt you.

But they can't stop you.