After 2018's year of monthly challenges to mark my 60th year on the planet comes official recognition of this event in the form of my National Entitlement Card, otherwise known as my Bus Pass.
I've used it twice, once to Inverness and once to the nearest town. There's quite a community on that local bus and I see the service in a whole new light.
Everyone on it this morning had a bus pass. It got me thinking.
There are many rites of passage during our lives; leaving school; drinking alcohol (and puking); loosing one's virginity; first job, first car, first child, first divorce.
Not many come with an official Government stamp of approval, let alone a document. Let's see, there's births, driving test, marriage & divorce, and now... this. What's next? Ah, yes. I prefer not to dwell on that.
So this is my Right of Passage, in that I now get free bus travel within Scotland plus a few other benefits.
More importantly, it is my Rite of Passage into what's politely called "Senior Status" but everyone knows is Old Age. Except that term conjures images which are no longer appropriate to my lifestyle or many 60+ people. I'm determined that remains the case for as long as possible.
I reckon I've about ten summers where I can do what I've always done; enjoy wild places on foot, bike and water. Hopefully I'll have more, but who knows.
Ten Summers. Only ten summers. Wow. Better get on with it then...