Today is my birthday.
I always get a little sad on my birthday... It's not about vanity or getting older. I'm a firm believer that with age comes wisdom and along with embracing that wisdom means you embrace the wrinkles, the aches and pains, the gray hairs. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but watching the years drag on while I was a child, then seeing them pick up pace in my early twenties, then suddenly start whooshing by makes me sad.
Will I ever see a flying car? Will I watch a woman become President? Will they ever cure the horrific diseases that claim the lives of so many? Can they stop global warming? Will I meet my great-grandchildren? These are the thoughts I had today, August 26th.
I wonder where the heck the time went. Did I accomplish anything spectacular since last birthday? Were there people in my life that meant a lot to me that are suddenly not there? Did I do something that made me proud to be me? I like to think that I worked hard, I accomplished a lot, I'm working on turning the little tiny boy we brought into the world last April into a little gentleman and that I'm making myself into a better version since last birthday. I've tried to be better at accepting people for who they are, cutting people more slack and being less harsh on myself. That last one continues to be a work in progress.
It was gloomy today. The sky was gray on one side and dark purple on the other. Rain was imminent and according to Siri (who lives in my iPhone) "it doesn't look so nice today." After a lovely brunch with my boys, we headed to somewhere we've never been before, the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. An outdoor park with myriad waterlily ponds, trails, board walks and insanely beautiful plants and gardens, we braved the weird weather and raindrops and took a stroll to take some pictures. We practically had the place to ourselves and it was what I needed to recharge my batteries and look forward to the next 365 days until I reach another birthday.
The icing on the cake? Phone calls from friends and family (many with eclectic renditions of "Happy Birthday"), a GIANT blue heron gliding past us while we walked through the gardens, my husband walking in with a cake and candles in one hand and a bouquet of sunflowers in the other after leaving me alone for a bit to get some writing done, smiles from my son all day, a warm pug on my lap and a mug of tea next to my keyboard. I have everything I need right here.
Happy birthday to me!
