So it is Bastille Day--happy French Independence Day to those who celebrate. It is also my birthday, and the birthday of people more significant than I am: Woody Guthrie and Gerald Ford come to mind.
I will be with people who care about me today, so I'm already rich in birthday blessings. Last year, the whole dining hall at Lutheridge sang to me, but that won't happen this year, and that's fine. When I tried to hop up onto the small stage in the dining hall, I felt my age.
It's strange to think about aging in this land that worships youth and agility, the kind of agility that comes with youth. I have agility, but it's the kind that comes with pivoting after hard knock followed by good fortune followed by hard knock, again and again and again in a life span.
I am 58 years old. I am resting at the far end of midlife before continuing on. I hope to achieve wise elder status, but I'm not there yet. It's going to be interesting, hoping to achieve wise elder status in a rapidly warming world. Does any of our ancient wisdom apply in a rapidly warming world?
We are here, in our little house in the North Carolina mountains, finding the music of Woody Guthrie on YouTube. Our CDs are still packed up, but that's OK because we're discovering versions we didn't know existed. We're sending each other recommendations by e-mail, even though we're only 20 feet away. It's a good way to start a birthday, or any day really. It's also sad to realize how relevant Guthrie's music still is. Listen to Bruce Springsteen singing "I Ain't Got No Home" and see for yourself.
Soon I will head up the hill to meet my parents for breakfast--we're going on a biscuit quest. Perhaps later today, I'll figure out how to get my free ice cream at Culver's. These are simple joys, but if life has taught me one thing, it's to seize joy where you can find it, while you can find it. And often, the simple joys are best.
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