Today is my birthday. I admit, I still get a little excited about it. Maybe it's because I never imagined living this long. Or maybe it's because I still look forward to the year ahead. I'm entering my fifty-fifth year. Holy crap!!!
But what's not to celebrate, my life is great. I'm married to a gem of a man. I have a loving family and amazing friends. I'm blessed to have children around me, those borrowed and those earned. Just last week I welcomed my third grandchild; a little boy we call 'Liam'. I have a sweet little part-time job and get to do what I love in my spare time, write, read, travel, and bead. Other than a few aches and pains I'm healthy.
I've come to the conclusion that these are the golden years. I get to enjoy stress-free living without the burden of rapidly declining health or career deadlines. I love the flexibility and ease of semi-retirement. I have the luxury of not having to wait for anyone to tell me I'm old enough to retire. I'm footloose and fancy free.
Sure, there are some things I haven't done that I once thought were important to me. But as it turns out, with every candle flickering on my birthday cake my priorities have shifted. Skydiving and bungee jumping are out, walks with the dog and time with those I love are in. Lucky, lucky me.
If there's one thing I know, it's that age is irrelevant. So, if someone asks me how old I am, I'm going to quote a line from the novel, Let the Great World Spin, and simply say; "Too old to be an acrobat - too young to die."
Now I'm off to breathe in more of this wonderful life and blow out these candles. It's getting hot in here.
