A Reflection on Birthdays

Happy Birthday to me! Today I turned 49. I can't help but look back at all of my other birthdays and think of all the milestones along the way. When I turned 16 I couldn't wait to get my drivers license. At 18 I became an "adult" with all of it's rights and privileges. At 21 I could start drinking legally (although I don't drink). At 23 I got married and became responsible for myself and my wife. During my 26th year my daughter was born. These last two events were the best times of my life. I don't regret becoming a husband or a father. I love them both.

When I was growing up my mother would always make a "special" birthday cake for me. My brothers always had a "Train Cake". It was shaped like a train and made out of angel food cake and had a couple of box cars behind it that were filled with M&M's, chocolate chips, and other candy. The wheels were made of peppermint patties, the cow catcher and the windows were made of Hershey chocolate bars, and there were more peppermint patties that made up the smokestack. Life was worth living just to have this cake. As time went on the cakes got smaller and Mom was no longer able to make that cake. When I got married my wife tried to make one for me but it just wasn't the same. I loved that cake. Maybe someday I'll get another one like Mom used to make.

30 was a real turning point. I was no longer in my 20's and had to leave childish things behind. More responsibilities loomed ahead. My wife and I bought our first house this year so there was a lot more to do.

I thought that turning 40 was going to be a big deal. It turns out that it's not a big deal. I didn't feel any different than I did at 20 except that I was a little larger and a little slower.

50 is just a year away now and I think of how I pictured my mother back then. I remember that when she turned 50 that she was really old. Wow, she was a half century old. And yet she was still a pretty cool mom. I understand now how she felt. She still felt young inside and that there was still a lot she wanted to accomplish. The only thing that changed were her dreams. Somehow when you're a young child you just can't see yourself as being 50. Well, from my point of view it's not that far away, and I feel like I'm just getting started. A new career, a great wife, and a fantastic daughter who's just about ready to graduate from college.

So far anyone reading this, birthdays arent' so bad. They just seem to come around a little faster each year. There's no party tonight. We'll save that for the big five oh. Happy Birthday.