And Many More...
A lot of people dread birthdays.

Some view them them as a painful reminder of aging and human frailty and mortality. Some feel birthdays are milestones measuring their lack of success or progress against where they envisioned themselves at certain ages. Some are sad that life is passing so quickly. Some prefer to pretend that they are 29 over and over and over...

Not me.

At this point in my life, I am childlike in my appreciation of birthdays. Not because of the presents and cake and being the center of attention and getting to wear a paper crown and lead the lines to lunch and gym for a day (although those are all fun!), but for the fact that another page of the calendar has turned, and

I'M.
 
STILL.

HERE.

Woohoo! Let the celebration begin!

Every day is precious. Every day holds promise and opportunity and wonder. Every day I get to hug my husband and kids is a gift.

But there's something about having a birthday, something about marking another year of survival, that puts me in an even more celebratory mood.

I am here beyond all predictions and realistic expectations for one diagnosed with ALS six years ago! I am living life more fully and vibrantly than any doctor would have suggested was possible! I am here actively participating in family life--educating and nurturing and playing with and listening to my children--rather than living only as a memory in their hearts and minds!

From my vantage point, "celebrate" isn't a strong enough word!!!

So when I blow out my candles today, the one thing I'll be wishing for is MORE BIRTHDAYS--for you, for me, and for all the people with ALS, cancer, HIV, and all of the other dreadful diseases that steal far too many wonderful people from us far too soon.

To riff on a quote that's often (wrongly) attributed to Marie Antoinette:

Let them eat cake? Heck, let's ALL eat more cake!