Always on My Birthday

It never fails. Something always happens on my birthday. Where the Chinese have said "May you live in interesting times" those times seem to occur either planned or unexpectedly around the day of my arrival, starting on the very day that I was born.

My cousin took the bus in the early 1960s from her home in Virginia to the deep Midwest the Summer I was due to help my mother keep house and care for my older sister as Mom prepared for her second blessed event, me. On the actual day the story goes that Mom was in the kitchen frying chicken when and stated she had been in labor for some time when my cousin had simply asked after her general condition. A war of wills broke out as Cousin dragged Mom to the hospital with Mom protesting all the way up to the delivery room that she wasn't ready and had left her chicken sitting in the grease on top of the stove back home. Something like an hour or so later my voice and lungs were in full throat, joyously proclaiming my acceptance in to the company of rulers, writers, inventors, scholars, soldiers, athletes, singers, actors and museum curators who shared the same day.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that birthdays are meant to be celebrated. Those of you who instantly defaulted to "party time" might be surprised to learn that I simply mean taking time in SOME fashion to acknowledge the fact that I was born, that I am here, that I have earned the privilege of meaning something to at least one other person and that I'm equally grateful to have them as a part of my life. It means, to me, taking time off of work or whatever the daily routine is and being thankful to have done more than just survived another year. How about being happy in just being alive and in good health or, if not, having the strength of will and character to keep going, to fight for what is desired and reach for those long held dreams and goals. Oh alright, already...I won't turn down a slice of cake if you insist!

On or around my birthday so many notable things have happened. I've begun and ended relationships, accepted jobs and promotions, taken amazing trips and vacations somewhere in the world and yes, even endured a few disappointments along the way. Two particular highlights were involved seeing Tina Turner live in Wales on the very day of my birthday and again on the exact day two years ago in Dallas when Earth Wind & Fire came to town. The Chinese proverb of living in "interesting" times holds true for me, a proud, card carrying member of the Cancer zodiac club.

This year there is a family wedding the week after my birthday so that pretty much sets the table for this year's event and it will serve for me as a nice bookend to the one-year anniversary of launching this website. Now that's a passing of time that I'm pretty pleased about.

Happy Birthday,

Gotta go.