Quiet Birthday

Yay, I'm 67. I have been geared for this day, one, because I feel MUCH better than I did at this time last year, and two, because last week I got good numbers, when I saw my doc: blood pressure 120 over 60, cholesterol 100 points lower, good cholesterol 4 points higher. Pills, better food choices and Yoga seem to have helped. Hurrah!

I did not have any special plans for this day, actually. I did hope to go birding today, but the rain detered me.

So, it has been a quiet day--somehow the timing or the weather off for doing any of the things we thought we might do, like the birding trip or dinner and a movie. My daughter and two granddaughters came over with breakfast from Delfina's and a little present, this morning. That was very special. I was quite touched that my daughter made the effort.

After they went off to the mall, we went for a long drive and have been watching videos. And napping. I rarely nap, but today took two cat naps--what luxury and those beasts do it every day! Last night I read until after two; I can no longer get by on five hours sleep.

I can celebrate my birthday all this coming year, not just on this one day: this is a new beginning, after all, the first day of my 68th year. Yesterday I spoke on the phone with friends I have known for decades, although we have not seen one another face to face for fifteen years. He is now 80, she was 65 in April. We talk now and again by phone and it is remarkable how, the minute we start talking, it hardly seems that any time has passed since we played interminable Continental Rummy games and Scrabble and Charades and held pot-lucks with elaborate menus. (She always mentions those cook outs, and then I say I no longer cook anything requiring lengthy preparation. She doesn't believe me.)

67 does not seem like a special number, except that it means I am creeping (good word, esp. after sitting too long) towards 70. But 68 has a fine ring to it.

It might be a good year, in fact, to go and see old friends. My life was sundered in two fifteen years ago. But I feel now that breach has healed. The halves are one again. I have finally let go of much that caused me pain. How much lighter I feel. I don't know what to credit that to. Maybe just time--and the late recognition of what is truly precious.