My Happy Birthday

I know birthdays are not cool after a certain age. I know that I should greet them with reluctance, or annoyance, or denial. But I love birthdays. I still love birthdays.  I love the celebration.  I love gathering with friends and family.  Yes, my birthday is a super-fun day, being July 4th and all, so perhaps that's why birthdays feel drenched in sunshine with a cool helping of snowcone-slushie. This year, especially, reminded me that birthdays will not last forever.  Each birthday is precious.  Each birthday reminds me that my time here is borrowed.  And while we give one another little gifts, the biggest gift of all is another trip around the sun.  These stories and these memories are precious.

And I value my strengths, because even more than an ending, I live with a shadow of change, of losing strength and dexterity.  And each year is another year where I am walking, or knitting, or teaching.  And I cannot take anything for granted.  I won't.  I'll celebrate.

Yes, a happy birthday.