The Earth keeps rotating around the Sun and every year I keep getting 1 year older. On September 3rd I turned 41. Aging is interesting, fun and scary. On one level I am so good with it. I feel very grounded and happy with my life. I love where I have been and love where I am going. I have wonderful children, love my job, and have a wonderful entourage of friends and family.
On another level I look in the mirror and the reflection that stares back is not always what I want to see. There's a few too many wrinkles around the eyes, the mouth and my girlhood is behind me. I am definitely a woman. People tell me you have to age gracefully. Aging gracefully is an art that I have not yet mastered. My body communicates it's aches and pains with a bum knee, kinks in my neck and other little messages that say: "take care of yourself". I eat a fairly healthy diet, do yoga, exercise and stay creative and still I cannot fend off the natural course of events. Aging is real, aging happens to all of us.
I think of my birthday as a kind of New Year's where I look at my life's compass, assess where I am at and decide what it is I want to change or improve. This year, there is nothing to change, nothing to improve only to be grateful for. I have so much and in need of nothing.
On Saturday the man in my life hosted a birthday party for me at his home in the woods. We invited my close friends and their children. It was most beautiful and exactly me. We swam, ate great food, hoola hooped, and sang songs around the fire. My favorite part was definitely the singing around the fire. Watching the glow of fire light dancing on the faces of the people that grace my life was heart warming. The children sat at their parent's feet stoking the fire with their fire sticks and together we sang, chanted and shared. I am the most happiest when I am with people, connecting in a deep way. For me singing and chanting makes me feel connected to others and the universe. In yoga we say that the essence of all things is vibration. As we sat around the element of fire and the vibrations of our voices joined together, I felt connected to that deeper part of me. I especially loved watching the children's faces, their intense gazes into the fire, their sweet voices melding with the adults. It was for me a perfect birthday gift and a great way to start my year of gratitude.
2 comments:
Love you birthday girl. We will kindle the fire, we will kindle the fiiiiii -er.
Just lovely Annie! Sounds like you had a fabulous birthday. You have a great attitude and approach to getting older.
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