So Lucky

One of my friends noticed it was my birthday.

In case you're wondering how to make sure everybody makes a big deal of your birthday, I have a pretty much foolproof method:

Tell the internet.

Yes, it turns out that if you blog about turning another year older, it's like saying "So, what do you think of my new dress?" People feel obligated to tell you nice things, and oh my, did y'all ever make my day.

Husband and the Boys made sure I was cherished and appreciated, and that was the foundation for everything else that happened. But the surprise of the day was how pleased I was by people who took time to send Facebook greetings.

This made up for the times I have rolled my eyes, silently or not-so-silently calling Facebook an idiot--it was the best thing ever on Monday. I heard from friends, so many friends, with whom I'm not in contact on a regular basis, and it reminded me how very rich my life has been. I had messages from friends who knew me before I could talk, and friends I've only known for a few months. Friends I met in grade school and in high school and in college and in the Peace Corps and through work and through church and through playing the piano and through my women's groups. There were greetings in Spanish and in English and I ran out of ways to say "Muchisimas gracias!"

By halfway through the day I was beginning to sniffle, and except for the ear-to-ear grin that simply would not get off my face, I would have been in full-out wails of nostalgia and thankfulness.

There are some things that are not so wonderful about being older. I'm not crazy about the memory and hearing, both of which are growing distinctly fuzzier. I regret the realization that there are places I'll never visit when I had intended to see the whole world, and that I'll never live in the country again.

But hearing from all those people, seeing their faces in my mind, being reminded of the moments we have shared and how our lives have intersected? I've been so lucky.

Thanks for the reminder.