In a few hours…

In a few hours, I will be 51 years old.

Sydney says that’s old, but I’m having trouble thinking of it as anything but a lucky age.  I think I had to get here to realize how lucky I am to have made it, when so many didn’t. 

When I was young, there was a rash of suicides among my high school classmates who were gay.  Later, I survived the AIDS pandemic.  There were wars, car accidents, drugs, cancer, and lightening strikes.  Rob and I even witnessed a murder/suicide. 

So, when I think about what I had to survive to be 51 years old, I can’t help but think of this as a good day. 

I didn’t make a million dollars, and no one will be more surprised if I ever do.  I didn’t change the world…remember when we all talked about that in college?

I never played sports.  Now that we have Sydney, I think I really missed something there that would have taught me about teamwork.  I wasn’t interested when I was young enough to do it without injury.  But, I learned to cross-stitch, knit, crochet, and sew.  Hmmm, that says something, I’m sure, I’m just not sure how important it is.

When I turned 50, I committed to a Jubilee Quilt.  It isn’t finished.  But, I won three first place ribbons in a quilt show.  That has to count for something.

I have held a steady job since I was 15.  I’ve never had anything repossessed and I have managed to save a little for retirement. 

I have the best husband any man (or woman) could ask for.  We’ve had our trouble, but what makes a man a good husband is his willingness to fit with you to make a relationship work.  We’ve both proven our willingness to do that. 

And, lo and behold, something I never thought would happen when I was younger; I have a daughter.  And, not just that, but a well adjusted daughter; and most important, I have a good relationship with her…better than I had with my parents.  And, that’s saying something because I had a pretty darn good relationship with my parents when I was 15.

I have friends and a full life where there is more to do than there is time to do it.  I would hate to be bored.

All in all, it’s been pretty good.  Happy days outnumber sad days; who could ask for more? 

So, I’m wearing my WORLD’S BEST DAD pin that came with my birthday card and spending the day in my jim-jams, making a shirt.  My birthday requests were three favors; I want Rob to take me to the garden center in his truck tomorrow, I want us to go to dinner with our friends LD and J on Saturday night, and I don’t want anybody to ask me any questions from the time I got up this morning, until the time I go to bed on Sunday…not a “when do you want to…” or a “what would you like to…” or a “what’s for…”  Not a single question.  Doesn’t sound like too much, huh?

Hope your day is equally good. 

Lane