Hippo Birdie Two Ewe

I turned 52 today. Yes, that is my true age. I don't believe in discounting my life. I live life at full price.

Besides, God told everyone's age in the Bible, so you know He's not the one who wants us to be embarrassed about our age.

I think age reflects wisdom, growth, maturity (hopefully) and experience. These are valuable assets in our life and no one need rob us of them by saying we shouldn't look the age we are. Life is to be lived to the fullest. I want mine to count for everything I've put into it!

I did not grieve this day for one second. Isn't it silly not to embrace where you're at in life? It's not like I can change how long I've been alive, after all. Perhaps I could try to hack a few computers to adjust the records, but really, as Elisabeth Elliot says, "In acceptance lies peace."

December 21. The "winter solstice" - etymology is something more like "sun stand still in winter." What a nice thought... the sun stood still on the day I was born. Midwinter. Longest night. Do you suppose that the reason I'm such a night owl is because I was born on the longest night of the year? Sounds like a reasonable theory, don't you think? The occasion is celebrated in some cultures by a festival of lights. That is quite apt, as my middle name is Elaine which means "shining light." My first name means "joy" and was one of the most popular names in the '30s (now it's dropped in popularity to below 800 in the list). :-) That must mean I'm special. What a description to live up to: "the joyful shining light born on the day the sun stood still."

Well, a friend wrote a poem about her 50th birthday and has given me permission to post original poem here. Happy birthday indeed.

The Candle Dance

Five thousand, two hundred
and twenty-five minutes have disappeared.

Soon,
like old socks
another body part will struggle
to stay up.

The candle-dance
seems slightly arthritic;
the oft-repeated song
hackneyed.

A struggle,
it seems,
to heave
a breath to blow
more wishes to the wind.

Perhaps this year I'll learn to count,
not old socks or broken dreams
but matches struck in the dark.

-Anna Brown

*This post is taken from previous blog posts on my 49th and 50th birthdays.