Forty

 I was asked a question yesterday. The question was what was my favorite part of my birthday. I didn’t immediately have a response. I celebrated my birthday for a whole week. 

Here are my favorites

Some time spent dockside with my brother and sister-in-law. To sit in the breezes and smells while chatting was a simple pleasure I will never forget. Feeling loved without uttering a word was priceless. Feeling protected and secure within their presence is a gift. 

Having a red velvet cake specifically made for me. The beautiful writing of Happy Birthday Regine made my heart swell. I looked at it too many times as I commit it to memory. My sisters and I used to share a birthday cake.  I also wanted to have my own cake as a child, and at forty I wanted to share a cake. 

The ability to celebrate starting seaside, and then changing to mountain peaks was amazing. Going from a rainy sunset cruise to the heights is a blessing. As I looked out at the sunset, I allowed myself to be silent as God shouted. In the mountains, I simply stared at how much I had to be thankful for. 

So here is my hope for forty

I embrace it all. I seek joy. I seek peace. I don’t fight. I just seek options. My energy and peace of mind are to be preserved and paramount to my mental health. Forty. You are to be the blessing that keeps giving. 

Love yourself and one another.