IS THERE ANYTHING MORE WONDERFUL THAN A BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION? CERTAINLY, A LOSS IN THE FAMILY ENDS ALL THOUGHTS
OF A FUN TIME, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WHEN IS THE FAMILY MOST
LIKELY TO COME TOGETHER, OTHER THAN A HOLIDAY?
I HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED UPON A BIRTHDAY PARTY AS A KIND OF
MOVABLE FEAST.
THE ONE BEING HONORED USUALLY HAS THEIR CHOICE OF WHAT TO
EAT,AND WHERE, WHETHER IT IS A BAR-B-QUE ON THE BEACH,
OR A LUAU IN THE BASEMENT, A FORMAL SIT DOWN DINNER IN THE
DINNING ROOM, OR A BUFFET AT A FANCY RESTAURANT. AND THEN, OF
COURSE THERE'S THE PRESENTS AND THE CAKE AND ICE CREAM, AND
EVEN SOMETIMES CHAMPAGNE. NOISE MAKERS. FUNNY HATS,
CONFETTI...IT'S ALL VIABLE AND ALL SO MUCH FUN. ACCORDING TO
THE WHIM OF THE BIRTHDAY BOY OR GIRL.
PERSONALLY, I LIKE, NO, I LOVE BEING ABLE TO HOST SOMEONES
BIRTHDAY PARTY. I AM PLANNING ONE, RIGHT NOW, AS A MATTER OF
FACT.
IT IS A JOY. THE ANTICIPATION OF SEEING THAT LOOK OF PLEASURE,
SURPRISE AND DELIGHT, (HOPEFULLY) WHEN THAT FRIEND OR LOVED
ONE SEES THAT SPECIAL CAKE, OR OPENS THAT PRESENT, AND KNOWS
YOU DID IT ALL FOR THEM.
ONE YEAR, WE DID A MAD TEA PARTY, ALA ALICE IN WONDERLAND,
WITH THE MUSIC FROM THE DISNEY MOVIE PLAYING ALL THE WHILE,
AND EVERY TEAPOT AND COFFEE POT, CUP AND SAUCER AND MUG IN
THE HOUSE ON THE TABLE,AND EVEN A "DOORMOUSE" IN THE SUGAR
BOWL, (ACTUALLY, IT WAS A CATNIP MOUSE BORROWED FROM ONE OF
THE GUESTS CATS) AND COOKIES FROSTED AND DECORATED WITH
"EAT ME" AND LITTLE BOTTLES OF JUICE WITH"DRINK ME" TAGS ON
THEM. ONE OF MY FRIENDS EVEN DRESSED UP LIKE THE CHESHIRE CAT
AND SURPRISED US ALL! AND AFTER SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WE
THEN SANG," A VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY" TO ALL THE REST OF US.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, SOMEONE WOULD SHOUT CLEAN CUP, CLEAN
CUP, MOVE DOWN, MOVE DOWN...AND EVERYONE WOULD GET UP AND
MOVE TO A NEW PLACE. WE LAUGHED UNTIL OUR STOMACHES HURT,
AND NOW, IT IS AN ANNUAL EVENT...BIRTHDAY OR NO BIRTHDAY!
I'VE DONE THIS SORT OF THING FOR YEARS. SINCE LITTLE ON, I WAS
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A SPECIAL CAKE FOR
MY DEAR MOTHER. SADLY, THAT DEAR LADY IS GONE NOW, BUT I STILL
HAVE PICTURE AFTER PICTURE OF MYSELF AND HER, HOLDING UP HER
"FLAG CAKE "...SHE'S LOOKING GORGEOUS AND SWEET, AND THERE
I AM, DRIPPING SWEAT, HAIR HANGING IN STRINGS, OBVIOUSLY
WORN TO A FRAZZLE, AFTER BAKING AND DECORATING THIS LOVELY
CAKE. A LOT OF WORK, BUT OH, SO WORTH IT. IF ONLY I HAD HER BACK
SO I COULD DO IT ALL AGAIN. BUT, I HAVE THOSE PICTURES, AND I CAN
GO BACK TO EACH ONE OF THOSE TIMES, AND RELIVE ALL THE FUN,
THE HAPPY LAUGHTER, THE SMILES, AND THE REST OF THE GOOD TIMES
WE HAD. WHILE MOM WAS ALIVE, HER HOUSE WAS OVERRUN WITH
VASES OF RED ROSES, LOVING CARDS, SINGING AND LAUGHING, NOT
JUST ON HER BIRTHDAY, BUT ANYTIME I HAD THE MEANS AND A WAY
TO GET THEM TO HER.
SO, IT IS A DELIGHT TO ME TO CONTINUE TO DO THESE THINGS FOR
MY LOVED ONES NOW. LIKE MOM, THEY WON'T ALWAYS BE AROUND
FOR ME TO SPOIL. I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN DOING ALL THAT I CAN
WHILE YOU STILL HAVE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH YOU, NOT
WAITING UNTIL THEY ARE GONE TO SEND FLOWERS, OR SAY WHAT
WONDERFUL PEOPLE THEY WERE.
LOOK AT IT THIS WAY. BEING DEMONSTRATIVE AND AFFECTIONATE
IS A HAPPY WAY TO LIVE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LAST
TIME YOU SEE THAT SPECIAL PERSON WILL BE. YOU JUST DON'T.
SO SHOULDN'T EVERY TIME BE TREATED AS THOUGH IT WERE THE
LAST TIME?
BEFORE I PART COMPANY WITH A FAMILY MEMBER, I ALWAYS SAY
"I LOVE YOU" AND KISS THEM GOODBYE, BECAUSE ONE DAY, I WILL BE
RIGHT,AND THERE WILL BE NO CHANCE TO SAY WHAT WAS LEFT
UNSAID. NO TIME TO GO BACK AND MAKE IT RIGHT. OH, I HAVE
HEARD OF FAMILIES THAT DON'T GO IN FOR "THAT SORT OF THING".
MORE'S THE PITY. A FACT THAT THEY WILL LIVE TO REGRET.
NOT I. I HAVE NOTHING TO REPROACH MYSELF FOR WHEN MY
DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE GONE, I WILL KNOW THAT I DID
ALL I COULD TO MAKE IT CLEAR, THAT TO ME, THEY WERE SPECIAL
AND LOVED.
GOTTA GO NOW. I HAVE A GIFT TO WRAP,AND A CAKE TO BAKE, AND
FESTIVITIES TO PLAN!
WE'RE HAVING A BIRTHDAY PARTY!
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