BIRTHDAY MUSINGS

"Celebrate. Celebrate. Dance to the music"

Today is my birthday.  I sent my mother a bouquet of flowers with a note that says, "Congratulations, Mom !
60 years ago today you gave birth to a baby girl.  Thank you for the gift of life".
I think about my mother, and my father.  They were so young when I was born. I think of their love for me, their sacrifice, and am grateful.

Over the past several days, I've received many lovely cards and gifts  from family and friends - some silly, some serious, but in common they all express kind thoughts and happy wishes.  How  blessed I  am for their birthday remembrance. I think of them,  and all the people  who have been part of my life over the past 60 years, beginning with my mother - my first friend, my forever friend,  and  babyhood; I move through my toddler years, childhood, grade school, high school, college,newspaper work, church life, married life, motherhood. Beloved grand-parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, mentors and friends and how they made my life better with their presence.   I want  to give them  a gift on my birthday  - a gift  of gratitude, wrapped  with a ribbon of love.

I'm also reminded that several I've known and loved have passed away, not getting the chance to celebrate  a 60th birthday. A litany of names come to mind:

Grandfather Walt
Mike (Shirley) Marconi
Sister Mary Agnesine
Tony Moore
Tom
Bob
Grandma Vivian
Roy C.
Uncle Bob Breedlove
Al M.
Pat Sims
Patsy
Father Mike Smith
Denise
Brad
and my brother, Walt.

I celebrate their lives today, too, and  pray  they're rejoicing around Heaven's Table and eternal light shines upon them.

To some,  60 years might seem old, a long time on this earth, especially to a ten or 20 year old. It's only as we age, and each new birthday comes and goes, we recognize just how swiftly the years roll by.    Lyricist Sheldon Harnick,  in his great song from 'Fiddler on the Roof  writes:

"I don't remember growing older
 When did they?

When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?

Wasn't it yesterday when they were small?

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears"

 How important it is for us to embrace life with joy and merriment, to let those we care for know we care for them by the words we say and deeds we do.