Hey, yesterday was my Birthday. Yea Me! I guess that it is a little silly to cheer for having carved out another year on planet Earth. I have to say that I don't think much about birthdays anymore. When you are a kid, they are fantastic. Atleast mine were. My parents, even during the divorced years, always made my birthdays important. I didn't see it then (what kid ever does?!?) but they always made me feel special. Maybe it was the lighting of the candles on a cake. That soft glow of promises that parents make to children about what their lives are supposed to be like. The anticipation of knowing that their would be a present that maybe I didnt't deserve but that I would still recieve none the less. It was always a miraculous thing to wake up and know that it was "your day", maybe not in the litteral sense that it doesn't actually belong to you, but that you coming into existence has had some significant impact on the course of the universe. Yeah, it's a big idea, I know, but I just can't help it. Every little life in it's own particular orbit sheds its goodness on the spaces and people around it. I haven't really felt that way for a long time...until yesterday.
If I had to name an ambassador for my birthday,it would have to be my wife and 5 children. You see, I went to work and got a few "Happy Birthdays!" from staff and students. When I got home, I really just wanted to sit down, I was beat. My children, according to my wife, had be making birthday trinkets for me off and on during the day. They even went so far as to purchase a few gifts from the dollar store. The youngest, Lauren, at four years old made me a card with a cute little heart guy on it and wrote "I love you daddy." and "Happy Birthday". Though they were not entire correct in their spelling, I got the drift. Gabrielle, at 7, made me some animals out of clay. They were not yet finished, but she showed me her work thus far. Lots of detail and small pieces! The nine year old, Avalon, had mom take her to the store so that she could buy me just the right coffee mug. I am an incurable coffe-holic. All times of the day and never anything less that 2/3 to a full pot in one setting. She even found a good enough bargin to throw in some hot coco so that I could make "Coco-Mofo" a delicious blend of coffee and instant chocolate. Haven, my oldest girl at 11 didn't really get me anything, instead, she helped everyone else pick out their gifts and found lots of good options to help the little ones choose from. Let's face it, being the oldest girl in a family of kids is no picnic. She is her own gift as far as I am concerned! The last, my oldest progene, Crosby didn't really "do" anything for me either, but his birthday is a few days before mine. He tells me good kid jokes anyhow, and that is kind of "gifty" in itself. My wife made this fantastic dinner. It was grilled chicken with a lemon-pepper rub and tequilla-agavea baste, mashed potatoes and corn. She also baked a pumpkin pie for desert. It was fantastic! Just supper inventive and really really good.
I guess the point of all of this is really just to share how my day went. It wasn't bad, what I kind of anticipate it to be, but quite the opposite. When I was a kid, I wanted the parties with all of the friends over, the funny hats and favors. A few hours distraction with people that you really cared about. The best things remain the same no matter what your age is, time spent with people who you really care about. Thanks "36" it's be fun, see you in the setting sun. "38", I will see you next year!
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