I’ve got a birthday coming up, and at this point in my life, the celebration is mostly for kids. They gleefully plunge candles into frosting and enthusiastically blow them out.
(I don’t put the actual amount because that might be a fire hazard.)
The real truth is I don’t keep track of candles anymore. (Honest, just ask my friend who one year calculated my age, astutely pointing out that I was, in fact, one year younger than I thought!)
My lack of awareness isn’t a sneaky way to avoid acknowledging how the years have continued to creep up. Mostly, it’s laziness. If I’m completely honest, my brain is so busy with calendar dates, vet visits, field trips, hot lunch orders, and the ever-present needs of my children, that keeping track of how old I am is not high on the list.
But the biggest reason I don’t keep track is that I’m unconcerned with the number of candles on my cake, as long as I get to keep adding more.
Growing up, I saw firsthand the fleeting nature of life. I lost several family members to cancer, including my dad he turned 57 in the hospital after accepting a terminal diagnosis for which there was no treatment.
We can look at aging as something that is happening to us, beyond our control. Or we can view it as a badge of honor, and the awesome privilege it is. Whether we focus on the destination, or the journey is up to us.
The wear and tear of aging is evidence of all the living we’ve done, marking our bodies with keepsakes, reminding us of where we’ve been.
My scars are souvenirs from times I tested boundaries, pushed personal limits, and learned about caution, risk, and judgment.
but as I continue to welcome the candles and embrace the privilege of age. Each birthday is another year I get to be here, living this life, surrounded by friends who support me, and my daughter, son-in-law and Granddaughter who have taught me more than I ever knew about unconditional love.
So, bring on the wrinkles, belly jiggles, and gray hair. Each has brought me wisdom, peace of mind, and the unmatched comfort I’ve found in my own skin, age spots and all.
When I blow out the candles this year, my wish will be the same as always — to take another trip around the sun and add more candles to my cake.