After the Ball Is Over...

Well, like they say: "Another year older, another year wiser".

Older?

Definitely.

Wiser?

Let's certainly HOPE so...LOL.

I will say that I've got Chinese food AND cake out the wazoo (so dinner and dessert for the next several days is NOT in any jeopardy) .

There are some things that I have to confess to "missing" regarding birthdays...

It's the camaraderie from friends and family.

Yesterday, it was just me, the missus, and the 2 cats...and that was about it.(and the cats don't take much to wearing party hats...even on THEIR birthdays)

Used to be a time when all your friends stopped by, and you did likewise when THEY had a birthday.

Sometimes, it was a surprise...sometimes expected, but always a fun time.
Today, my friends from times past have either passed on, live well far enough away to make travel all but impossible (Delaware and California come to mind), or have dropped out of touch with no chance of getting in touch with them.

That alone would be enough to get one on the old anti-depressants, but life is always about "what you make it", and although I'm never comfortable (totally) with being a lot more "alone" these days, I can make due well enough.

I suppose what I miss the most is having my parents around to "celebrate".

We always had good times at family birthdays, with Mom making out the best of the three of us.

My birthday always came first, then a week alter was dad's. Following two weeks later was Mom's. so any money I got for MY birthday went to Mom and Dad. And any money Dad got went to Mom.

Mom just sat back and smiled...

(and then spent all that money on DAD and ME for CHRISTMAS).

So, I guess what GOES around...DOES, in fact, come back around, monetarily-speaking.

But Dad's been gone since 1978, and Mom since 1998, so there you are.

It's the memories that will always remain, and I guess you really can't ask for better. Life will ALWAYS be about what YOU make it (with a leg up now and then, from those that also care).

So...here's to ANOTHER year on this rock, which will pretty much wind up like the LAST year...albeit with a few more aches and pains, more gray hair, a little less hair, a few more creases, lines, and wrinkles, but with a hope that it can be more than last year was.

Besides...a year from now...there WILL definitely be CAKE...again.

(God willing)

Stay safe out there, America.