The title of this post is a quotation by Emily Dickinson. We studied quite a bit of Dickinson’s poetry at school. One of the poems for Year 12 English Lit was Because I could not stop for death. It is only this evening I have thought of it again when searching for quotations about aging.
How wonderful it would be to be too busy to die! But I am not proposing to talk of death. But rather aging. You see, tomorrow is mah birfday.
Last weekend I had a total meltdown over it. It was not the meltdown that I am now closer to 40 than 35, but rather the pressure I have on myself to mark the occasion or celebrate it. The kids are with their father and his family in NSW and I am thrilled for them. It is their cousin’s 18th birthday and also their Grandad’s birthday whilst they are there. But it does mean they will miss my birthday. MIML™ is currently on nights- a week of working 10pm til 7am starting last night, so the original plan of heading away for the weekend was blown to shreds.
And then it struck me. Most of my good friends live interstate of overseas. We keep in touch online or by SMS or the occasional phone call, but it is not the same as having them over for tea and birthday cake or a celebratory Gin-dependence Day cocktail!To say I lost it last Sunday would be an understatement. But I worked through things. MIML™ and I plan to head away for a night in a couple of weeks. At the end of the month the kids and I will do something to mark my birthday.
I’m not actually looking for presents either. I still can’t think of things I want when MIML™ or the kids ask. Yes, there are things I would like, but I can also live without them.
So tomorrow will be quiet. MIML™ will sleep until at least the early afternoon. I will research raised garden beds and work out the best way of putting some in the back yard. I might even do some blogging, catching up on my 101 in 1001 days reports! We will head out to dinner, probably at our favourite restaurant!
But I am getting newer. My thinking has changed so much in the last few years. I like the person I am and the person I am becoming. I am renewing all the time. And it is only through aging that this is happening.
Oh and finally…
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
I will try and have cake tomorrow too!
July 3rd, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Happy birthday!
July 4th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Happy Birthday.
Do celebrate any way you can – even if it’s a glass of wine and a good book and some time to yourself, celebrating YOU.
My 40th birthday was at the end of March this year. The planned celebrations were cancelled: this is not a year I want to remember.
Then a friend suggested that I just stay 39 for another few years until I feel like turning 40 and THEN have my planned 40th birthday party. I like her thinking
July 4th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
damn, i forgot the kids are still away
i know that you’ll make the most of your day, regardless of how it’s handed to you
*hug*