A Birthday Timeline

With all the birthdays that have happened of late, I began thanking about what I like to call, the timeline of a birthday.  It begins when you are a child and can understand what the word 'birthday' means to you.  Not so much the gaining of another year, but the celebration of cake, presents and friends.  This continues to build, in story-like style, until it reaches a climax...usually with the gift of something big (like a car or huge blowout party--vacation style).  Let me say that I HAVE had some parties in my time but never to this degree--for which I elaborately mourned over at the time...however, in retrospect, am extremely grateful for what I did have. Perhaps age is a great teacher...or perhaps our perspective changes as we age...or perhaps it's both.

However, I found that with the passage of a 'milestone birthday' my birthday perspective began to radically change.  I found that not only was my list of desires becoming  more practical in nature, my birthday was beginning to mark some physical changes as well.  Changes that I might add were not particularly what I would call desirable in nature.  Of course getting married and having children could factor into some of this; but, I could not deny that birthday's were an irreversible part of this whole process.  Like a book's decline into resolution and ending, I had found that I too, had finally reached that climax, and passed it (although just barely;) as to anyone you ask I am still 29 and holding) 

It was with the approach of my father's birthday, which is today Happy Birthday Dad!, that a chord was struck within me as to my current view of the 'birthday timeline'.  As I observe birthdays of all ages I began to see that within each, a story was being written, like a painting across the Sistine Chapel, our own life is being poured out in vibrant and sometimes violent color and brush strokes. Each day, each hour, woven into a tapestry along with the other lives we touch.  It occurs to me that perhaps it is the process, more than the destination, or in my case the desperate cling to that 'magic year'. The one which it appeared to me that all was perfect; or, that like in the days of Columbus, any forward movement would sail me right off the end of the world.  When I look at my dad, or anyone who is older than me, I see life poured out for something and in pursuit of something, not a vain or empty effort.  I see lessons learned, experiences made, and relationships formed.  I see a road of possibility and promise.  I see that there is life to those years not just years in that life!  Perhaps that is the greatest gift of all, God's gift to us, living and experiencing.  Not that our destination is not of utmost importance as well; but, that He wanted all those little experiences for us along the way. 

So, I guess all these birthdays around me have taught me something.  Don't get me wrong, as I am still 29 and holding.  But perhaps I won't hold as tightly as I don't want to miss a minute of this beautiful, wonderful gift given to each one of us....LIFE and living it every day! 

Happy Birthday Dad, thanks for sharing your life with me. I love you!

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