Birth Day
Today’s my birthday. Forty-one, and even though that sounds “old” to me, I don’t feel it. Emotionally, at least–I have some early morning and post-yoga aches that make me humble and remind me to slow down. I also wish my other February birthday friends (so many of them!) health and happiness as this month comes to a close.
I’ve had a lovely day thus far, despite an oncoming cold. We began the day with a family snuggle, then I had my favorite breakfast–two cappuccinos, with a cherry pomegranate toaster pastry AND Stella d’Oro breakfast treats. G and the boys went out so I have time to myself this morning to read, write, journal, use my light box, do yoga and my hand labyrinth, and be amazed by the well wishes pouring in.
I feel very grateful today, for life in general and the specifics–my husband G, our kids 5yo Drake and 3yo Guppy, our community in Minnesota, family and friends both far and wide, real and virtual, present and absent, and for all who helped in ways big and small during my post-partum depression three years ago, part of my ongoing journey toward balance.
I feel more than a bit stunned by it all, and deer-in-the headlights when I think how impossible it would be to express all the gratitude to all those I feel it for. This quote, by Elizabeth Gilbert from Eat, Pray, Love, helps me feel a little less overwhelmed:
In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.
I am saying thank you, right now, today, and I’ll try to keep on saying it however I can. Namaste.
February 28th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Have a blessed birthday!
February 28th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Happy Birthday!
March 1st, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Glad to hear that you had a great birthday. It sounds like you had a quiet and serene day.
We went shopping today and picked up a pack of the cherry-pomegranate toaster pastries you mentioned as an alternative to our normal granola bar breakfasts. Had it not been for this post, I probably would have passed them by without a second glance.
March 1st, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Ah bollocks. I remembered several times during the day, including while putting P to bed, and then was too disorganised to get to a computer to email you. I am sorry. I’m glad you had a good day. Happy Birthday!
March 3rd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Happy Belated!
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
beautiful sentiments.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Many thanks for the well wishes. I had a great day. In the afternoon, we went to Izzy’s ice cream in St. Paul, and I got a cone with Coffee Break(coffee ice cream w/Oreos) with a chocolate Izzy(a small extra scoop of a different flavor.) The boys went into Choo Choo Bob’s while I restrained myself to buying six truffles at Legacy Chocolates, then we went home to dinner. G and I started Casablanca, but I fell asleep. All in all, a wonderful day.
March 8th, 2009 at 12:41 am
I am SO far behind on my blog reading! Happy belated birthday!
March 10th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Many thanks! Natasha, if I didn’t visit the Saturday Review of Books at Semicolon every week AND have my google feed reader, I’d never manage to keep up–I still don’t!
March 11th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
A belated happy birthday, with wishes for many returns of the day! A family visit to Izzy’s is a pretty awesome way to celebrate. Good for you!
March 16th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Izzy’s AND Legacy chocolates. I’m a lucky gal.