You hope someone notices. But without parties, cakes and presents the day just comes and goes like the other 364 days throughout the year. What you don’t want anyone to notice is the extra gray hair, the few more lines that can no longer be called crows feet – more like hawk claws – around the eyes, the slack skin under the arms, the saggy folds gathering around the elbows and knees, and the hood over the belly button. Jiminy Crickets! Are those age spots on the back of your hand?
Who is looking that closely? If you don’t want to be overwhelmed with one wave after another of depression you don't look. But like an ugly car crash, you can't help but stare. Shivers.
The cure isn’t to go to a new church and get invited to a baby shower and meet the mother of the mother-to-be and notice that she looks about ten years younger than you. And when the gifts are opened and everyone is oohing and aahing you sit there wondering just what the hell is that thing they are going ga-ga over? To have a baby these days involves a complicated collection of gadgets and devices that do everything from stimulate and educate to eliminate the diaper odor.
But the people were friendly. And when they cut the cake to celebrate the soon to be new mom, I pretended it was my birthday cake.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
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5 comments:
Happy Birthday, Valerie! I have you on my birthday list now. Have a wonderful day!
Bummer birthday! We won't go into the incredible list of physical strengths you possess revolving around hiking, biking, etc., etc., and the fact that I keep meeting people our age so out of shape and overweight that they can barely walk, stand for more than two minutes, etc.......Hey, I just this morning tried on some of my grandmother's clothes I have been hauling around in my closet since 1976 -- always too big, too grandmotherly-sized, yet I hung on...and they fit a whole lot better now!!!!! Hooray, at last! I can wear this beautiful Chinese silk top my grandmother had made for herself in the 1930s.....so glad I waited until it finally kinda fits! Ah, yes, so many ways to look at this. But I hope someone in your family remembered. Most of mine don't.......so you are not alone......Happy Birthday! Hang in there..........Julie, The Aging Neighbor
How could we forget Val's birthday for it too was the day George Parker was born!
Lets try this again. How could we forget Valerie's b'day, for on the same say day George Parker was born.
Happy Birthday George Parker!
A friend of mine wrote and said that her older sister, 59, told her that when she grows up she wants to be Valerie. What an incredible thing to say. That's what God is talking about.
Sometimes I share these weird thoughts, just because I have them, not necessarily because I believe them. However, we are growing older and the older we get the faster it is happening.
When I share some of the weird things I am presently working on --- alarmed? Might change your desired career path? Will see.
How cool to have something from your grandmother. And congrats on being able to wear it.
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