Image source: Merlina McGovern
Another year around the sun, and I’m another year older today. I don’t have time to write too much, but I did want to muse a bit on what my birthday means to me.
It’s a cliche to say that as you get older, birthdays mean something different, and sometimes less, than what they used to mean. Of course, because I’m self-sufficient and have most everything that I need, I don’t need all of the trappings — gifts, cake, and candles — of childhood parties.
As you get older, you also have experienced more of life, and sometimes that means that memorable dates can become more fraught. I have written previously of the grief I felt on losing my sister. I lost her around the time of my birthday, so this month is always quite sad for me, despite the explosion of spring all around me.
Today is also the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde massacre. My heart is too full and broken to write too much about this topic. However, I do donate to Everytown For Gun Safety, and I highly recommend that you do what you can to keep us safe from this awful menace that is now the leading cause of death for US children and adolescents.
Still, birthdays are not about death, they are about a continuation of life. I am so appreciative of my amazing husband and daughter who support me through all of my ups and downs and make sure that I always have a fun time celebrating my birthday. I may still get a bit maudlin when my birthday rolls around, but my friends and family make me happy that I get to spend another year here to celebrate.
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