....And Many More?
Today is my birthday.
It is a rather sad one. It is the first one without a call or card from my mom and dad. In fact, the only cards I have gotten so far are from corporate entities, although I did get one from my home church in CA-really very nice.
Birthdays are funny things. They are a huge deal when you are young-gifts, theme parties , lots of cards for the new little one, etc. If you have one during the school year,class parties often happen. My kids get a shirt delivered to their room and everybody has cupcakes, etc.
As time goes on, the attention wanes. Maybe at 16 there is some big celebration, and 21 is usually a big one (for many, involving alcohol-no more cake and ice cream). I remember how sad it was after my grandparents died. No more gifts or calls-they always remembered. And now, the only other ones who always remembered are gone, mom and dad. I still have the money they gave me last year, sitting on my desk. (I have been unable to decide what to get with it-I want it to mean something.) My mom was determined to give me a check-dad couldn't write any more.
Now, I wasn't ignored this year. My wife and kids and some friends came over for some cake and ice cream last night (my wife actually got confused on what day it was, but hey, no big....) And my brother and I will celebrate our birthdays next week together (his was June 26).
But the phone was silent, the mailbox empty. No longer will there be the reminiscing of the day I was born, the stories, the unbelief that 53 years have passed since little Robby was born that Sunday morning in Walla Walla, Washington. It is pretty humbling that everyone who helped bring me into the world is gone now.
And so it goes for all of us.
Pass some more cake please.
It is a rather sad one. It is the first one without a call or card from my mom and dad. In fact, the only cards I have gotten so far are from corporate entities, although I did get one from my home church in CA-really very nice.
Birthdays are funny things. They are a huge deal when you are young-gifts, theme parties , lots of cards for the new little one, etc. If you have one during the school year,class parties often happen. My kids get a shirt delivered to their room and everybody has cupcakes, etc.
As time goes on, the attention wanes. Maybe at 16 there is some big celebration, and 21 is usually a big one (for many, involving alcohol-no more cake and ice cream). I remember how sad it was after my grandparents died. No more gifts or calls-they always remembered. And now, the only other ones who always remembered are gone, mom and dad. I still have the money they gave me last year, sitting on my desk. (I have been unable to decide what to get with it-I want it to mean something.) My mom was determined to give me a check-dad couldn't write any more.
Now, I wasn't ignored this year. My wife and kids and some friends came over for some cake and ice cream last night (my wife actually got confused on what day it was, but hey, no big....) And my brother and I will celebrate our birthdays next week together (his was June 26).
But the phone was silent, the mailbox empty. No longer will there be the reminiscing of the day I was born, the stories, the unbelief that 53 years have passed since little Robby was born that Sunday morning in Walla Walla, Washington. It is pretty humbling that everyone who helped bring me into the world is gone now.
And so it goes for all of us.
Pass some more cake please.
posted by Rob | 7:20 AM
1 Comments:
If I continue to read your blog I may need antidepressants! No, but I do always come away feeling thoughtful, at the very least. Today I showed Sadie a picture ofmy mom...she knows who daddy's mom is and she often asks who my mommy is, but she really doesn't understand why she never gets to see her. There is something about birthdays that always makes one ponder life, and our place in it. Happy birthday, Rob. And know that there are at least two lives here that you've made a difference in. Don't know if I've ever told you that. thanks, old man.
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