A quiet birthday

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for a quiet birthday #57.

It's been a tough year, personally, especially with my dad's death 10 months ago and T's declining health.  Despite my daily struggles, I am still here, writing, working hard, climbing well, cooking interesting dishes, planning this year's garden and trying to make another small dent in the Universe. I know that I am well past my half-life, unless, of course, I live to 114.

I'm on vacation today and celebrate my birthday in small ways - it's inappropriate to call attention to myself especially with everything that's going on in the world. A chilly morning walk in the park with T (one very, very slow lap), a haircut, a birthday card from my work colleagues with a really nice note from our CEO, a new tube of Gabrielle black mascara and a hard but exhilarating training session with S at the climbing gym. I wish I were in France but will settle with chatting with Fasten, the delightful foreign-exchange student from Paris who is on the gym's high school climbing team.

All in all, a quiet but favorable start to my 58th year.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.