Happy Birthday to Me!

I celebrated my 60^th birthday last month. Yes, I CELEBRATED turning 60 years of age.

I know many people that dread their age, and to me, that is just silly. Age is simply the number of years you have been on this earth. And if all those years haven’t garnered you any wisdom and relative comfort in being who you are in the only skin you have, then I think something is missing.

That is not so say everything in my life is perfect and that nothing needs to be worked on, I am, like the rest of the human race, a work in progress. That is okay. If everything is perfect, than there is no reason to be, at least that’s what I tell myself.

For a dear friend who dreads almost every birthday she has, I sent her a list of 60 relevant things that reflected the years she and I have been friends and in each other’s lives.  After all, she and I have been friends longer than we have been married to our spouses.

So here’s my list of top 10 things that are relevant to me, reflecting on as I turned 60.

1.     I am blessed to be married to someone who loves me with all my warts and wrinkles, especially the invisible ones.

2.     My parents loved me, no matter how mad they got at me.

3.     My kids love me, no matter how mad they get at me.

4.     I love my kids, no matter what. They are MY kids.

5.     Grandchildren are a gratuitous fan club.

6.     I can’t quantify the love and awe I feel when my adult grandchild tells the world how much she loves and admires my place in her life.

7.     There is nothing that I am in ‘need’ of.

8.     The things I ‘want’ are not necessary. They would be nice, but I’ll live.

9.     I have travelled well.

10.  For all the travels I’ve done, there is no place as comfortable as home.

I never shy away from a birthday. It’s another year to look forward to, new adventures and a few new pairs of shoes, especially ones that don’t hurt.

I am loved. I have good friends. I have a huge family where, whatever the occasion or need, somebody will step up or step in. That is awesome.

I could wax on about how good my life is, but I’d rather you read my blog.