U-Turn Ahead

About a month ago I was digging through the Internet when I unearthed a unexpected find…a website by and about Mike Bellah called BestYears.com. A visit to Mike’s home page will find a photo of him atop Wheeler Peak in New Mexico. Along with the photo are a few paragraph’s about the site and Mike’s time writing midlife essays for the Amarillo Daily News. The links are scattered throughout the text with some additional links at the bottom. The page is no award winner for layout, but then hidden treasure doesn’t usually come in a colorful box.

After clicking a couple links, one to “Mike’s Story” that is no longer available, and reading an article or two, I finally hit the motherlode…a list of articles Mike has written regarding nearly every aspect of midlife. The articles, under the grand heading of Best Years:Sometimes the Best Begins in the Middle, include titles like “Career Changes” and “I Believe in You, Santa“. Some humorous and others educational, each article brings insight and reflection on the issues of midlife change. Mike’s writing style is comfortable and friendly, like a chat with your neighbor.

Despite the lack of impressive design and the clear evidence that the site has not been maintained for some time (possibly years), this website is still a favorite of mine. I recommend first skimming through the list of articles and then visiting the Best Year’s Links Page. With nearly 150 articles and over 70 links (a few to sites that no longer exist), there is plenty to discover at BestYears.com.