Reprise

Today is my birthday.  66 Years Old.  It is amazing to me, that I am still here, still breathing, still in good health (knock on wood), still doing all the things I love with all the people I love!  The years go by so quickly that it is important to stop and acknowledge the passing of another whole 365 days.

I wrote the following on last year's birthday and it pretty much outlines my life and my amazement that so many good adventures have been mine to experience.  I am grateful for each and every event and person in my life.  And I am still optimistic that other good things will come my way.  After all, it's still possible that....

"The Best Is Yet to Come!"

June 25, 2011

In approximately 5 hours from the time I am writing this, a milestone will occur in our house.  It will be the anniversary of my birth.  I will reach 23,741 days on this earth!  Funny, it seems longer than that!  A person should be able to accomplish great things in 23,741 days.  Looking back I accomplished many things of which I am proud.  I tried many new things, I've made mistakes, had successes, survived failures, and endured loss.  I learned a lot of interesting facts,  met a lot of great people, plus a pretty fair number of real stinkers!  I have been blessed with many good friends, even several BFFs!

Over the years I have explored my talents, recognized my weaknesses, even tried to improve a few.  I've held responsible positions in an industry where the focus is on caring for others.  I've worked for and with people I deeply respect and admire.  I married, kept a house, raised a child, tried a hobby, kept a secret, written letters, read books, sang songs, and enjoyed much  of what I encountered, tolerated parts of it, and got the hell out when I needed to!!.

I have loved a lot of people and lost many of them.  I have the best relationship a mother ever had with a daughter who is my greatest joy.  I have kept the same husband for 45 years, even though some days we both wondered why!  We laughed together, cried together, got mad together, made up together.  I learned to love dogs and love them I did!  I found joy in performance through singing, dance, acting and directing for the stage.  I have been a part of great shows, and awful shows, but I learned from each one.

I have laughed until my stomach hurt, I have cried until my stomach hurt.  I  have cooked and cleaned and nurtured, and planted and then I did them again and again.  I have had repetitive tasks done a million times and once in a lifetime experiences.

I have had happiness, wealth, sadness, boredom, financial shortfalls, misery, thrills, fear, relief, worry, stress, challenges, simplicity and complexity.  Good, bad, right, wrong, joy, grief, treasured moments and moments to forget.

Yes, 23,471 days to my life....so far.  Like everyone else, each day brought another 24 hours to the sum of my life.  65 Years!  Impossible!  Where have they gone?  It's been a blink of an eye.  How many more will there be?  I don't want to know.  I just want to live them, share them with those I love and hold on to the idea that maybe,  just maybe, "The Best Is Yet to Come"!