A Momentous occasion

And what would that be I wonder? In the space of the last three days, I went from having a teenager in the house to having no teenagers at all and I turned 53. When we say turn what exactly do we mean anyway. In my younger days I recall a "turn" as being something not so good as in "he's taken a bad turn". But birthdays are not necessarily a bad thing, so what exactly is meant by the term turn?

It's my birthday today. I am surrounded by love, not just because it is "my" birthday, but because I have so many people around me who are loving and who love me. Before anyone human I must consider the Creator who "knew me in my mothers womb", who "knit my bones together", who "love me so much He sent His son to die not to condemn me but to love and save me". In this temporal world I think first of my beloved who demonstrates unconditional love better than anyone besides the Saviour, I think of my kids who love and respect me, I think of the rest of my biological family and while I do not always hear from them, I always hear from my sister Margaret, who loves me. I think of my new "father" figure Stan, who in spite of losing his daughter and his wife finds so much room in his heart to demonstrate love to all the "family". I would be remiss to forget my in-laws who have loved me since I first began to date their daughter way back in 1976. They are loving, forgiving and obviously very patient.

There are people missing today. I miss my parents. Without them, I would not be here. While that is painfully obvious to all, their influence either good or bad remains. I miss friends from long ago, a song called "for absent friends" expresses some of my feelings at this time, a particular line which says:

"looking back at days of four 

instead of two, 

years seem so few, 

heads bent in prayer 

for friends not there"

I miss my Mom and Dad and I miss my friend Ruth today on my birthday. I wish I could hear her speak truth in to my life just one more time. She, like the priest in the song was "close to God". Now, she is living with God and I wonder if she hears me?

Yes, it is a momentous occasion, and I must take these moments with the living, not slumber or sorrow with the dead or pine "for absent friends". 

I am here and I will celebrate with the living I will share my joy for it is a joyous occasion to celebrate the gift of another year.