Getting Older is a Privilege; Not a Punishment!!

My parents; the ones who gave me life!

Today is my 57th birthday; it is the first time that I have spent my birthday in tears. My tears are happy and sad tears; the flood-gates opened last night, shortly after midnight. My online crochet buddy wished me a Happy Birthday........the only other person that used to wish me Happy Birthday, precisely at midnight was my mother; my friend and I decided that she was my mother's messenger this year.

It never really occurred to me that I would miss that call, as much as I did. My mother would always say, "Happy Birthday my sweet, precious baby girl, X amount of years ago you came into my life, and you have filled my heart with joy ever since. I love you so much, you know that I do, right?"
Of course, I would always say, "Yes, Mom, I know you love me and I love you, too. Thank you for bringing me into this world, you deserve the birthday wishes today; you are the one that did all of the work!" So, so sweet and caring she always was; so needless to say, I am missing her terribly, today.

That emotional start to my birthday did not end; waking to all of the sweet birthday wishes from so, so many just continued my journey down the happy, sappy Birthday Road. The Internet may be a lot of things, some good, some bad,  but one special thing that it is, is a connection to so very many, that you would otherwise never be able to connect to. I cannot thank each and every one of you well wishers enough, for all of the kind words and wishes.

My Kiddos!

That being said, I look back at all of the years I dreaded "getting older" and I realize how very foolish I was; growing old is not a punishment, it is a privilege. A privilege that I no longer wish, did not arrive so quickly, year after year. Growing old is the greatest gift EVER!

Do I wish that my body still performed as my mind thinks it should? Hell Yeah!! Do I wish that I could take my life lessons back to a younger me and avoid some of the mistakes that I made? Sometimes. Do I wish that I could start all over, as a child, a teenager or a young adult? Heck NO!

What I do wish for, is that I will continue to grow older and wiser, and that I will be around for a very, very long time; cherishing my family, my friends and my life with every single bit of gusto that I can muster.

The Grands and Hubs!

That I will be able to continue to share my experience of living with a chronic cancer to all that I am able, and that I can continue to share my joy of living, to all I meet.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every single person that enriches my life, not only today, my birthday, but every single day in between, too!

Today, is a GREAT DAY; tears and all!!

Son, Daughter  in  Love and Fam!!