James Van Der Beek is closing in on a half-century — and that suits him just fine.
On Wednesday, the “Dawson’s Creek” alum posted a series of photos on Instagram with his six children to celebrate his 46th birthday.
Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly are parents of Olivia, 12, Joshua, 10, Annabel, 9, Emilia, 6, Gwendolyn, 4, and Jeremiah, 15 months.
The first photo shows the actor and his kids posing calmly for the camera, while the rest of the photos capture Van Der Beek and his brood making goofy faces and having a bit of fun.
“46 trips around the sun… I’ve been feeling into a new relationship with time, lately,” the actor began the caption of his post.
“I used to try to bend it to my will: Speed it up, squeeze more into it, short cut it. Or panic at its passing. Or just ignore it altogether. But recently, I’ve found myself happier the more I’m in touch with reverence, and deference to time. Yes, it CAN be stretched. It can fly…”
Van Der Beek became pensive as he continued to marvel about the world and its beautiful intricacies.
“But this planet, this dimension, is governed by time: Trees grow at their pace. The earth spins at a near constant,” he wrote. “And the more reverence I can find for all of it, the more life becomes a living prayer of appreciation. For life. For nature. For the great cosmic mystery of which we can sometimes can catch the edges.
The “Varsity Blues” star then concluded his message on a thankful note.
“And the more I deference I can summon to the lessons earned only in time… the healthier relationship I have with miracles,” he wrote. “And the easier it becomes to root in the present, open to the perfection of a process I was never meant to control.”
“Which is all really just a long-winded way of saying: Middle-age rocks.”
Van Der Beek has often spoken about what he believes is his good fortune, even after his wife's five miscarriages, including a pair of late-term pregnancy losses, in nine years. In April 2022, he posted a series of pictures with son Jeremiah, who was not planned.
“Thank god for the surprises. For the detours. For those times the universe heard my plans and said: ‘Yeah, that’s cute… try THIS,’” Van Der Beek wrote, in part, on Instagram.
The actor was also candid last August when he wrote about losing a baby and moving past some professional setbacks.
“Whatever you’re going through… if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, or even know where to look for it… I invite you to not underestimate the power of a little change of environment… and of taking the time to sit exactly where you’re at,” he wrote on Instagram, sharing photos from a camping trip.
“Healing comes at its own pace. Presence might just be a pre-requisite.”