Day 77 - Sharing

"For pleasure has no relish unless we share it."
Virginia Woolf
The Common Reader
I guess you know by now I love birthdays. Mostly other people's birthdays.  I like the idea of celebrating me for a day, but in practice it feels uncomfortable to be singled out. By their very nature, birthdays are ego-centric. I like being ego-centric in private. At 61 it's time I start practicing what I preach. 
Here's what I preach:
Birthdays are for celebrating the one and only you.
Birthdays are for making wishes, and eating cake.
Birthdays are for singing the birthday song and doing the happy dance.
Birthdays are for saying thank you.
Birthdays are for giving yourself permission.
Birthdays are for hugs and smiles.

Today I noticed birthdays are also for sharing. 
Like sharing your special day with others who a) love you or b) have your same birthday or
 c) both of the above. 

 Along with me, today is also the birthday of Miss Lucy Schmidt. Her ver first, one-of-a-kind, wonderful, stupendous, gonna-have-a-grand-life birthday, to be exact. What's really exciting for Lucy and her family is that she will celebrate, not once but twice. You see last year, 8 days after she was born, Lucy underwent open heart surgery. Yes. I said surgery. A team of doctors at University of FL/Shands hospital operated on the teeny heart of a baby so new she was still red and wrinkly. That kind of surgery had never been done on a baby so young. And if that's not miracle enough, after just three weeks, Miss Lucy, announced to her mom and dad, the hospital staff and anyone else who would listen, that she wanted to go home - to get on with the busy-ness of living life to the fullest. I am honored to share my emotional, artistic, dream-filled Piscesean sea with a fighter like Lucy.
Lucy and her Grandma at the beach
Merry & Mary
Sweetie and I took my friend Miss Mary to the Red Lobster for a birthday lunch. Mary didn't feel so hot on her own birthday last month, I was happy to have her go with us.  The Red Lobster always reminds me of my mom and dad so sharing our seafood fest with an old person felt right. As we waited for our food  another couple sat down right behind our table. Sweetie overheard them telling the waiter they were celebrating her birthday.  What are the chances?
Two Birthday Girls
Andrea from Jamaica and Merry ME
(I must be holding my stomach because I ate so much.)

As the day draws to a close, I touch the gold maple leaf necklace and think about the love that continues to grow like the maple tree in the front yard. As I look at the cards lined up on the mantle, the Pendleton journal cover, the electric tea pot, tulips and irises, and not one but two chocolate cakes, I feel bountifully blessed. Thank you all for sharing a bit of yourselves with me.

Happy Birthday, Merry ME

Comments

Sorrow said…
just so you know, I did NOT forget your birthday!
I did send a card, although probably to late to get there today...
It will be a belated birthday blessing~
laughing`
( thats my excuse and I am sticking to it!)
happy Birthday beautiful Merry! XXX
March 19, 2013 at 11:49 PM
QnDani said…
Happy Birthday dear Merry ME - on this, day 19 of Merry ME month, and the official day of your birth!! XXOO
March 20, 2013 at 7:56 AM
AkasaWolfSong said…
Oh My GodStars!!! March 19th? This is your birthday? If it is it is the same day as my Dad's Merry ME! Go figure...another connection. He He He...

And Lucy...my heart melted when I saw her face...oh I could just eat her up! :) She's definitely a BRAVE GIRL!

And your Mary Neighbor is lucky to have such a wonderful friend as you to help her celebrate her Mary-ness. :)

Happy Birthday to All of YOU!!!!
xoxoxo
March 21, 2013 at 2:25 PM
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