Birthday

Be present in all things and thankful for all things. ― Maya Angelou

It’s a familiar thing to hear someone talk about pivots these days. In this pandemic we’ve all pivoted in one way or another, and we, or I in this case, foolishly feel robbed when the pivot is forced rather than chosen. To some extent, I understand the exhaustion. But also, life’s best lemonade comes to us from its sourest moments. Hello there, This Is Us. Also, who the hell knows Dan Fogelman? How do I get this man to grab a coffee with me?!

Anyways, I’ll take a lemon-faced grimace in exchange for the world’s best refreshment. Truthfully, lemonade is nearby most of the time. However, we’re often too busy squeezing the lemons and forget to taste the lemonade. This week there’s no big 40th birthday bash due to the big O. But take note, Omicron didn’t cancel my birthday. Yes, it’s different and I’m slightly disappointed, but also, what a life this is I get to live.

I’m spending my weekend at home with my beloved and our two favorite sidekicks. The kids went out and bought me what my husband says are ridiculous presents, which I can’t wait to open, and we ordered our traditional Carvel cake because nothing is going to come between me and those delicious crunchies. I think we’re hitting up the local ice rink to skate in subzero temperatures, which for a native Buffalonian, makes my heart so happy.

I am entering forty quietly but with abundant gratitude. There’s some serious things to tackle for the forty files, but also, there’s the beautiful opportunity to inhale and take note of what’s around me and the feelings within me.

I don’t know how I expected to feel entering this decade, but it’s not what I anticipated. Truthfully, the strongest emotions have little to do with Covid and everything to do with understanding and appreciating the fragility of the feelings themselves. So two days from the big day I can tell you this, I’m going to rock this decade like there’s no tomorrow. But I’ll begin and end each day with the best prayer there is, which is “thank you.”