A Happy Birthday

It was a happy birthday although the outlook wasn't promising. I have made a point over the years of trying to do something different than my normal routine on my birthday. Nothing particularly special but something to make me sit up and notice the passing of time, the path of a lifetime.

So I arranged for the day off and was making some tentative plans. Ah the best laid plans ... derailed by a game of racquetball the evening before and a seized up back that had me limping home v e r y  c a r e f u l l y.

So the day was spent mostly on the couch downing Advil at prescribed intervals. Well, come to think of it, that is a little different than normal.

It was day 20819 in the life. Of course there is an online calculator. Putting one's age in days makes it a little like watching the odometer in your car. At day 18,262 you want to pull over by the side of the road and take pictures. By day 23,741 you are starting to show some wear. Only two of the power windows work, some of the dash knobs are missing and you have to add more oil when you fill 'er up. If you hit day 29,219 you are beyond the average and you got your money's worth for sure. No one else dares drive it at this point. You don't want to admit it but you're gonna have to take it to the yard pretty soon.

But this day was happy because I received so many well wishes from friends. I got cards from my father-in-law, my brother and his wife, my sister and my friend Linda with whom I share this birth date. I got phone calls from another brother and my sister and my daughter. I chattted online with my son who is in Africa which is now just a ho-hum miracle.

And I received flowers, a nice bottle of wine and a lovely dinner from Margy.

I felt loved. Now there is a priceless gift.

Thanks to all of you.