A year ( or a day ) older

I turned 56 years old today. It’s nice receiving the birthday wishes from friends via social media, telephone, or in person. But, it’s not like when we were kids. When we were young, we got excited about parties, presents, being the center of attention for a short time, and maybe even the sense of being older and therefore, more “important.” Now, birthdays can easily become reminders of the reality that we’re getting older and frankly, a reminder of our mortality. It’s tempting for people to ask themselves, “What is there to look forward to?” Well, I could write a lot on this. But, the primary thing on my mind at the moment is simply “gratitude.” I am grateful to have lived this long that I have met so many interesting people, visited fascinating and/or beautiful places, continue to learn new things, . . . I am thankful for every day; not just the anniversaries of being alive.