Another year

“Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift.” — Aretha Franklin

As we age, our birthdays become even more precious. Birthdays invite us to reflect on our past, our blessings, and where we want to be in the future. And who doesn’t love an excuse to celebrate something?

My husband jokingly refers to the month of August as my “birthday month” — truly an exaggeration. But yes, the first week in August is my birthday week, and I’m taking full advantage of the opportunities to celebrate. This week, I’ve enjoyed opening cards and gifts, having a birthday lunch with a couple of favorite friends, and a dinner with a sister-in-law whose birthday is just two days ahead of mine. Tomorrow night I’ll be celebrating with my family, including my little grandson, and early next week I’ll be treated to a long-awaited visit from my college room mate from Chicago.

“Every gift from a friend is a wish for your happiness,” Richard Bach wrote. But as much as I love opening presents, I’ve learned that the very best gift is the one that can’t be tied with a bow or pulled from a box. And that is the gift of spending time with the dear people (and pets) in my life. I don’t take any of you for granted. ~CL