AND THE UNIVERSE SINGS "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
My 65th birthday was this past Saturday, January 30, 2010. I had been fairly anemic for the past several weeks so when Jeff asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday I wasn't very enthusiastic and left it up to him to plan something small and casual for the birthday afternoon. That enabled him to plan the following surprise for the previous Sunday. On a birthday surprise scale of 1-10, it was a 15!
My friends, John and Joyce, who were visiting me from Troy, NY were alone with me at my house. John received a telephone call which I assumed was from his daughter. A few minutes later he called me to :"come and see this thing" in my front yard. I ambled out to the front yard grumbling about why he wouldn't just tell me what it was he wanted me to see. (I assumed it was yet another giant iguana which I see on a daily basis) He obstinately kept heading for the street repeating:"You've gotta see this" but without so much as a hint as to what it might be. And then when I made it to the street this is what I saw...and heard:
My 65th birthday was this past Saturday, January 30, 2010. I had been fairly anemic for the past several weeks so when Jeff asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday I wasn't very enthusiastic and left it up to him to plan something small and casual for the birthday afternoon. That enabled him to plan the following surprise for the previous Sunday. On a birthday surprise scale of 1-10, it was a 15!
My friends, John and Joyce, who were visiting me from Troy, NY were alone with me at my house. John received a telephone call which I assumed was from his daughter. A few minutes later he called me to :"come and see this thing" in my front yard. I ambled out to the front yard grumbling about why he wouldn't just tell me what it was he wanted me to see. (I assumed it was yet another giant iguana which I see on a daily basis) He obstinately kept heading for the street repeating:"You've gotta see this" but without so much as a hint as to what it might be. And then when I made it to the street this is what I saw...and heard:
Please make sure the volumne is turned up on your computer and then click on the arrows in the middle of the photos. This will start a brief movie of my birthday celebration.
When I finally realized that the chaos that was occurring at the end of my street was actually a parade of thirty-seven of my friends marching toward me wearing funny hats, carrying balloons, and blowing an array of noisemakers I started to laugh with all the glee of a six year old! It was pure Fellini! The circus was coming to visit me at my home! I don't think I have ever before experienced such laughter and joy!
And then everyone poured inside and we had an extraordinarily festive birthday celebration for the rest of the day and evening, filled with laughter, good food, and fun interaction.
Somewhere, sometime during the evening I became aware in my heart that these people were no longer simply a group of good friends... but my family! This is important because I have a family of friends mostly concentrated in the North but I no longer want to live there; I want to live here in Florida. And yet, should I become really sick I want to be surrounded by friends. Now I know that I am. I have a wonderful family here and an even larger, magnificently extended family throughout the Northeast and beyond. Even though my blood family consists solely of one brother, who has re-entered my life in a profound way, I delight in the most abundant family one can imagine.
Unpleasantness still comes my way on a regular basis but I am being completely truthful when I tell you that I don't think I have ever been happier.
What a parade, huh?!
When I finally realized that the chaos that was occurring at the end of my street was actually a parade of thirty-seven of my friends marching toward me wearing funny hats, carrying balloons, and blowing an array of noisemakers I started to laugh with all the glee of a six year old! It was pure Fellini! The circus was coming to visit me at my home! I don't think I have ever before experienced such laughter and joy!
And then everyone poured inside and we had an extraordinarily festive birthday celebration for the rest of the day and evening, filled with laughter, good food, and fun interaction.
Somewhere, sometime during the evening I became aware in my heart that these people were no longer simply a group of good friends... but my family! This is important because I have a family of friends mostly concentrated in the North but I no longer want to live there; I want to live here in Florida. And yet, should I become really sick I want to be surrounded by friends. Now I know that I am. I have a wonderful family here and an even larger, magnificently extended family throughout the Northeast and beyond. Even though my blood family consists solely of one brother, who has re-entered my life in a profound way, I delight in the most abundant family one can imagine.
Unpleasantness still comes my way on a regular basis but I am being completely truthful when I tell you that I don't think I have ever been happier.
What a parade, huh?!
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1 comment:
What a fabulous day!Love the parade! Jeff really should have been an event planner. Know that beyond the 37 wonderful people who gathered there around you, hundreds and hundreds more were holding you in their hearts as well all over the world! Me included from frozen Michigan.
I love you Gar!
Hugs & kisses, Mim
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