I Am 54

Today is my birthday.  Alan woke up before me and trundled to the kitchen to make my Birthday Breakfast.  He is the King of the Birthday Breakfast.  I found him in the kitchen looking rather pale.  Nauseous from his pain meds (see:  Jack Sprat Fell Flat...on His Face), I led him back to bed assuring him that I could serve up my poached eggs and piping hot croissant.  Sitting down to enjoy the flaky Williams-Sonoma croissant spread with melting butter, I turned on the TV for company.   This morning the Today Show is blaring with news of Charlie Sheen.  "Charlie Sheen this!  Charlie Sheen that!  Is Charlie Sheen crazy?"  They assume that we want to know.  We don't.  They have made absolutely no mention of a Birthday Girl in Texas who turns 54 today.

I am now sitting before my computer reaching out to the world like a light house keeper who is separated from the mainland.  Sweet Lily has been trying to weasel her way into my lap with tiny enticing meows.  She is now perched to the left of my keyboard with her back to me.  Every few minutes, she gives me a coy glance over her shoulder - an invitation to a morning cat cuddle.  Maybe later, Lily.  For now, I'm doing what I love most - blogging.  No, Lily, I can't explain why blogging gives me so much joy.  It gives me the same pleasure the you feel when you nap on the back of the chair in the sunroom in the golden glow of the afternoon sun.  Your affirmative meow tells me that you totally "get it" now.

This morning I made myself shower and get totally made up and dressed before allowing myself the pleasure of reading my birthday greetings.  I wanted to savor the moment.  I've entered the season of life in which birthday cards and facebook greetings bring me as much pleasure as a wrapped gift.  My cell phone is dancing on the desk with dings of Happy Birthday text messages and buzzes of new wall posts.  Alan just walked in fully dressed "feeling good enough" to go to work.  "Are you blogging about the worst birthday ever?" he asked.  

No Alan, far from it.  The sun is shining radiantly this morning.  My facebook page is filled with greetings from friends near and far.  Bryce just texted me "Oh, yeah.  happy birthday!" which followed several swapped texts regarding a missing FedEx delivery.  My husband did not drop dead at the Oscar party last Sunday night (again see:  Jack Sprat Fell Flat...On His Face).  This morning while applying my Oil of Olay anti-aging cream I realized that 54 doesn't look as old as it used to.  I have a day of sweet nothing spread before me like a gift.  It is all very good.

On this 3rd day of March in the year 2011, I raise my Ebenezer saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped me."   Yes, indeedy do.  I'm having a great birthday.

1 Samuel 7:12  Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah an Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."