Elizabeth Edwards was buried in North Carolina today. I thought of her when I was moaning a little about the fact that today was my 61st birthday.

Edwards was 61 when she died Tuesday, so it was sort of a case of considering the alternative.

Sixty-one is an awkward age, at least for me. I'm certainly not middle-aged anymore -- I think 55 is about the top limit for that -- but I don't consider myself elderly either. My ass probably sags a little more than it used to, and I'm noticing the first signs of a bald spot near the back of my head. But in general I don't look my age, and since I lost more than 100 pounds this year, I don't feel my age either.

When I read about Edwards, the thing that always impressed me the most was how wonderful a relationship she had with her children. Reading what her oldest daughter Cate said about her at the funeral moved me greatly, and I sincerely hope I can be as unselfish and as concerned for others when my time comes.

[caption id="attachment_673" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Old but happy?"]<a href="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/20101013_340.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-673" title="20101013_340" src="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/20101013_340-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>[/caption]

I've been working really hard this year at being happy with what my life is and not unhappy for what it isn't.

There are times that has been easier than others, and there are times it has been damned hard. My last three years in California were filled with so much angst because of the untimely way my journalism career ended, and even in Georgia, I feel like I'm in a sort of limbo as we go through the process of furnishing our house.

As I look out into the living room, it's completely empty. We're waiting to have our furniture delivered until after the painters have a chance to do the walls. Even here in my own office -- a room I'm going to really enjoy -- the decor is unfinished as we wait for bookcases to be built and delivered.

The only rooms that are sort of finished -- I say sort of because the painters still have to work their magic -- are our bedroom, Nicole's office and the breakfast nook.

We'll get there.

But I want to make my 62nd year on Earth one to remember. I went through some amazing changes in Texas, and I've sort of left them on hold while we moved. I do want to start evangelizing, letting people know what I've learned about the best way to be happy and make people around you glad that you're a part of their lives.

I'm going to make 2011 a really good year.

And I'm going to try and start early -- on Dec. 12.