Today is my birthday and I have now been on the planet for 56 years. My first reaction was to consider myself on the downhill slide to 60 and to make self-deprecating remarks about getting OLD. But events of the week have caused me to seriously reconsider. A friend of mine, quite healthy and fit, died unexpectedly on Tuesday as a result of surgical complications. I saw her alive and happy Friday night, as did many other friends who attended a Celebration of Life party. It is an annual event to celebrate the life of another friend no longer with us. Now Ann is gone too and we are all reeling and saddened, concerned for her husband and closest companions.
No matter how long 56 years might seem sometimes, it is really fleeting. When I was young, life seemed to stretch out ahead of me into some kind of infinite realm of possibility. Now looking backwards I'm thinking that time seems very short. I have accomplished some things and there are things I still want to do but wonder if I will.
I woke up this morning to a surprising amount of new snow. It's April and it's supposed to be spring. Actually, it is springtime in the Rockies which means that it can snow any time. It is quite beautiful even if it isn't what I wanted. What I want usually isn't all that important in the great scheme of things. It's only the little desires of my ego pecking away at my serenity.
The snow won't last. The flowers will bloom. The trees will be green. Just not today.
But today, the male finches are turning yellow and they are beautiful.
"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."
--Crowfoot, April 1890
11 comments:
Happy birthday, Loran.
It's a sad time for all who knew Ann, but as you say in your musings on life and in that lovely quote, all life is fleeting and since we can't predict our time here, we'd best make the most of it.
That's a beautiful photo of the snow with the lamplight.
Happy birthday!! I'm so sorry about the loss of your friend.
Happy birthday! I hope you have a fun day. I'm sorry to hear about your friend, that is very sad.
Happy Birthday - your landscape looks eerily similar to mine (and more to come, I think...) So very sorry to hear of your friend's death. I guess we need to be thankful for each moment we're given.
Happy birthday and I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. It is then the time has come to remember all the good moments that has been and then the snow disappeares and the spring passes over to summer and the cycle of life is unbroken.
Happy Birthday to you, and condolences for the loss of your friend. As I've gotten into my 50s, I work harder at keeping the memories of departed loved ones alive. Celebrate life.
Happy Birthday, I love your photos very original. Sorry about the loss of your friend.
Happy Birthday, Loran... I am here to tell you that life will just keep getting better and better. I'll be 67 in August--and I'm happier than I've ever been. I do have a good friend with serious cancer --so that scares me.
We saw our inlaws today --and Mom Adams said that ALL of their friends have died. I'm sure they have since Mom is almost 89 and Dad will be 97 in August.
Hope you had a wonderful day, my friend.
Hugs,
Betsy
Sorry about Ann.
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Happy Birthday to you, though belated. Thanks for dropping by and leaving behind a nice comment, and I hope you get a chance to travel where your heart desires.
So sorry about your friend, that is truly a sad time. I know what you mean about life moving along so fast, and when I was young, it did seem like it stretched out forever in front of me. My father was also fit and healthy and died suddenly of a massive stroke in 06, quite a shock to the whole family. It really makes you reevaluate your life, doesn't it?
On a lighter note, Happy Birthday to you! I really enjoyed your snow in April photos, quite gorgeous, even if it's not what we ordered. ;)
I am catching you up I am 54 in October as it says a fleeting shadow a mate of mine told me years ago "this aint a practice run" even now with my MS and wheelchair I try and go for it Today is my eldest daughters 31st birthday and its been a fleeting shadow 31 years long. I am sorry about your friend and others who go before us but none will stay on this earth forever just make the most of it and remember "this aint a practice run" XXX Don
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