Sunday, August 23, 2009

Happy Birthday!


This weekend marked my 58th year on the planet. As with most birthday's, it's a time when willingly or not, I take stock of my life. This is a dangerous exercise due to the fact that very few people are completely satisfied with what they've achieved and who've they become. I don't fall into those "few".

Therefore, this task is usually a prequel to an emotional melodrama. But, as I get older, I am finding that I am much more forgiving of myself. OK, haven't become a huge international musical theatre star; well, I was born too late and with too little talent (can't have it all). I haven't written the great Canadian play or novel; well, still breathing - still hope.

Getting older sucks unless you've gained something from being around this long. If you feel you haven't, then birthdays can be very depressing; an anniversary of your failure as a contributing member of the human race. That's why god created scotch.

I agree with the Dutch tradition of birthdays being a celebration centered on the parents who brought us into the world. They were the ones, especially the mothers, who made it all happen. My mother had a terrible time delivering me. She was ostracized for being an unmarried mother and turned away from her job at Eaton's for being an adulteress. Can you imagine the unemployment rate now if that practice were to return?

Birthdays are marks of time which are measured by experiences; good ones and bad ones. Fortunately, as we get older, the bad ones tend to fade and we look at our past through soft focus lens (think Lucille Ball in Mame) We can't "turn back time" but we can be thankful for having been blessed by having the opportunity to make the most of it.

So this weekend, I took inventory of what I have achieved in my life and what should be celebrated. I don't feel confident to speak of my achievements but I do know that I can certainly celebrate the people who have touched my life and provided me with many more experiences upon which to mark my history.

They are truly loved and appreciated.

2 comments:

  1. Paul Meunier-Collins24/8/09 04:07

    Happy birthday, cuz.... I love you much.... xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous24/8/09 12:38

    Beautiful posting. i cried. you are so talented, so loved , so blessed.

    Ray, you are such an important person in my life...and, yes, I'll say it- A RAY OF LIGHT.

    I love you!
    xoFanny

    p.s. maybe we can both write Great Canadian NOvels...

    ReplyDelete

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