You say it’s your birthday, We’re gonna have a good time.  – The Beatles, from Birthday

I celebrated my birthday this week on Wednesday. Thank you to all those who sent me well wishes. Many people asked me how old I was. My answer intrigued me. It got me thinking about how long I have been around.

I thought about all the molecules that make up my body:  carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, etc. Then I thought about all the exchange that goes on with the world around me every year, every day, every minute. I eat food, and then waste goes out. I drink water, and then water goes out… perspiration, evaporation, salivation, etc. I breathe, and oxygen comes in, oxygen is absorbed through my lungs and fires up billions of chemical reactions every minute. It is converted to carbon dioxide and I breathe it out.

It was just amazing to me to think of all the molecules and atoms, all the protons, and neutrons, and electrons that are constantly on the move in my body. Molecules coming in, molecules going out. Constant exchange with the world.

Then I thought about how long those molecules have been around. Surely it is possible that some of those molecules might have once been part of a cloud, or a tree, or a tiger, or an Aztec, or an Eskimo, or even Thomas Jefferson or Kahlil Gibran or the Buddha.

Then I considered the age of the planet Earth, and all these molecules being present from the very beginning. Wow, 4.5 billion years (of course, scientific opinion of that estimated age is constantly changing).

Okay, so that’s my answer. Ask me how old I am? My answer is 4.5 billion years! Perhaps I have gained a little wisdom over that time. I like that thought!