Birthday Time

In all the years I've been writing this blog, I don't think I've ever mentioned my birthday passing. It's not that I haven't had them, or they weren't acknowledged by my family. In fact, Tdub was a bit over-the-top when it came to birthdays and celebrating them. It was one of the things we disagreed about in a friendly sort of way. He thought birthdays should always be a big deal and you should make a big "stink" about that person and do all sorts of special things for them on that day. I was of the opinion that you should treat people more like it was their birthday on every other day. I never wrote about my birthdays back then, I think, out of some sort of rebellion against his way of thinking. I refused to bring it up because then some people would feel like they had to say Happy Birthday or get me a card or some other thing like that.

Well. That chapter of my life is over. And...


IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!



Actually, my birthday is on Tuesday, the 22nd. I like it that my birthday is close to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday because he's a hero of mine. In fact, to commemorate our birthdays I'll remind myself and everyone else of probably my all-time favorite quote. I mean, if I had to be on a desert island, and I could only take one quote with me, this one might be it.

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well." MLK, Jr.

My cousin Wes is making dinner for me tonight and he's invited my teaching partners and a few other friends. There will be about 10 of us. I am VERY much looking forward to this. They are a super fun group and the closest friends I've made since I've been in Sulphur. In fact, they'll probably remain my closest friends even if I stay here for a very long time. I've learned, from making this move, that one of the greatest things about friendship is shared history. It's odd that my history was what compelled me to start fresh in a new place, but it's also having history with folks that I miss the most. The good news is that I'm making new history with a new group. These new friends have graciously opened their hearts to me. People don't have to do that, you know.

In other news....I've rejoined eHarmony. I was in that little funk a few weeks ago....feeling really lonely and having second thoughts about this whole being single for the rest of my life idea. So...I decided to join eHarmony. Not necessarily to search for a mate...but...I guess if that happens, it happens. I had regrets from joining it last time because it was too soon and I ended up bringing pain to someone. But, the thing is this; it's always a risk to put yourself out there, and anyone who joins eHarmony has to be grown up enough to be willing to take that risk and reap the benefits as well as the potential consequences. Myself included. Yes, it could hurt to join eHarmony. I might meet someone, fall in love with them, then be rejected by them. But...guess what?? I've already survived things much WORSE than that! Or, and I actually find this more difficult to stomach, I could have someone fall in love with me and then have to hurt them. It basically stinks when you're trying to figure all this stuff out.

Oh. I'll be 45. (that way you don't have to ask)

love and grace,
pam


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