Birthday Blues?

Birthday Blues?

By John R. Greenwood

1965

It’s always funnier when it’s someone else but when a milestone birthday like your fortieth, fiftieth, or your …, comes a tappin’ on your own shoulder the laughter seems to vanish somewhere between, “Do you remember?” and the ‘King Size’ bottle of Advil. 

Such was the case this morning when a 12:01-am FB birthday message popped up on my phone and reminded me how old I was.

 At first I wanted to cry like a kid wanting his mother to kiss it and make it better. Remove the rusted joints, dandelion wisps of white hair, grumpy old man exterior, and I’m still raring to go and happy to be here. 

I have nothing to complain about, although it seems to be an increasing hobby of mine. I’m still above ground. I have all my parts except a right index finger. I still have my high school sweetheart there to remind me what real love is. I have two grown sons with families of their own and I was fortunate enough to see all of them on my sixtieth birthday. 

You don’t have to kick me in shins, I get it. I am a lucky man and I know it. American Pharoah may have won the Triple Crown yesterday but I’ve been winning it everyday for years. I have a good job, a comfortable home, and a great family who loves me. 

I celebrate life in simple ways. I love to sit on my back steps and reminisce. I love hearing stories as much as I love telling them. As I scrolled down the list of kind and generous friends and relatives who wished me a Happy Birthday today it dawned on me just how lucky I really am. I have a wide spectrum of friends; young and old, far left, far right and everything in between. I sometimes smile to myself when I think of the range of my friends including my own family. It’s what I love most about my life and my journey. 

Happy Birthday? You betcha! 

Happy life? You betcha! 

Blue? Not anymore, I just needed a millisecond to think about it. 

Ready for the next 365? Yes I am! 

To all the wonderful friends and family who sent me a Happy Birthday wish I thank each one of you for being who you are. 

Oh, there’s one last thing you can do for me. 

Please, please, please slow down and appreciate what you have under your feet and in front of your eyes. 

It’s a pretty great place once you get used to it, it just takes some of us longer to get there.

Be kind to one another.

John