Saturday, December 6, 2008

Another year older...

Another year more deeply entrenched in this "Life After 40". Yes, there was the inevitable ribbing, ("you're how old?"), the children's teasing ("wow Mom! You're like, half way to dead!) and of course the humorous cards that either referenced aging equivalent to fine wine, or old people peeing their pants...

I love every minute of it...

Cuz every person who either teased me or complimented me, cared about me... Birthdays aren't necessarily about becoming another year older, but rather (in my opinion) about being reminded of how many people in our lives care.

Ever since my daughter threw me a fabulous surprise birthday party a few years ago, I've loved having informal get-togethers on my birthday, and this year was no different. I asked the owners of our tiny little wine shop here in Star, Idaho if I could have my party at their shop. Doug graciously forewent (is that a word?) Thursday night poker so I could bring my friends in for wine & fun. We ordered pizza, friends brought food, we did a private little wine tasting, and had an amazing time! I'm sure Helina Marie's didn't mind having an extra 20 or so paying customers on a Thursday night, and Doug took wonderful care of us!

The best part of the evening was feeling the love of my friends and my children. Times and events like this are such a reminder of how many people we have around us who truly care about us. I remember looking around the wine shop and thinking, "if I were to die tomorrow... every one of these people would be at my funeral, and they would mourn me..." Yes, a strange thought to have on one's birthday, but a comforting one...

Whether it's a birthday, a holiday, or some other event, it's beautiful to be reminded how much we are loved. Our legacy in this life isn't how much money we made, how successful we were, or how many races we ran... but rather, how we have touched others' lives, and how others' lives have touched ours.

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