Fully Wound
by Michael Feeley
Somewhere along the way, we agreed on a metaphor for growing older: winding down. Slower. Smaller. Stepping back. Society hands it to you like a gift and expects gratitude.
But a clock that winds down stops being useful. A clock that’s fully wound keeps time — accurate, ready to chime, exactly where it should be.
Many people as they mature are not winding down. They are staying wound — tight, ready, current. Skills sharp. Work unfinished. Dreams still being built, not shelved.
They are saying, clearly: Do not underestimate or dismiss me. I am not finished.
Don’t let a number tell your time. Age is not depletion. It’s accumulation. You are not less qualified because you’ve lived longer. You are more qualified, carrying decades only time can build. That’s not a reason to step back. It’s the reason to lean in.
There is a real ticking here, and it’s precious — the ticking of opportunity, not a scheduled countdown.
When reality says “Time’s Up,” you’ll know. That clock alone has the authority. Not a birthday. Not a job title. Not a culture that’s decided you’re done.
So don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait for someone to tell you it’s time to matter. Time doesn’t ask twice.
Live like you have all of it. Spend every hour in full. Nothing saved for later, nothing held back for a someday that isn’t promised to anyone.
Stay wound. Keep time. Chime in and chime away.
Thanks – Michael (he, him)
Please share my Daily.
This also matters – Sagerism – The New Philosophy of Ageing.
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