Saturday, February 27, 2010

Birthday Seriousness Oh Noes!




It took me a week to figure out what I wanted to say on my birthday this year. I'm not very exciting in person, not a terrific knitter, a particularly good parent or that great of a wife, but somehow online I seem to have a knack for making and keeping some really fantastic friends who are very creative, talented, funny, and loving. With these friends in mind, I am blogging as if I have something important to say. Possibly no one will read this and thats ok too, but just in case my tractor girls peek or the terrific Asheville crowd is following me, these are my birthday thoughts.

I have been concerned with a few things this year. Chiefly, this earthquake in Haiti. I wonder, every day, how those people are doing without shelter, living there with family dead or missing, children, animals left to fend for themselves. I worry. Let's not forget them.

I have a new hero this year. A good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have watched her slog through the ick and the fear and the whole terrible ordeal with a determination that I cannot even convey. I'm so very proud of her.

Just this week I witnessed another epic battle between good and evil when the horrible landlord of the Miles building downtown decided to get nasty with the owners of the Humor Shop. These are good, decent people with children to provide for, making do as best they can, and that landlord is trying to grind them under her expensive heel. I keep wondering how I can help.

This year has definately been epic. I'm turning 42 today, no big deal at all, yet I've been fussed over and spoiled so much that I'm embarassed. This is a positive thing, being so rotten. I have a theory that until your loved ones really make a big deal out of your birthday, until you really feel that people are celebrating your life on the planet, you'll need the party and the songs and the cake. This year, when I was asked "what do you want for your birthday?" I thought about Haiti, and my friend recovering from chemo, and my new friends from the humor shop, and I thought about how I'd love to help them all, heal them all, no more fevers, no more worries, a new job for Brenda, for Bruce, and I thought about my family, the loud boys and the crazy dogs, this unique city that I've come to love, and I don't need one single thing. I'm grateful for everyone, everything. Im lucky to be here.

42 is no big deal but Im so blessed to have these beautiful people thanking me with their gifties and their love. What else can I say? That is all.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

was glad to celebrate your birthday with you today. You are blessed and we are blessed by you!
love you immensely,
lizabee

Anonymous said...

AWWW! Happy Birfnight Jana! You feel lucky?

What about me? I am grateful and blessed to have awesome friends like you and the FRU! You always bring a smile and laughter with you!

Fru-la-la! said...

i adore you, sweet girl! you are a blessing to me! happy birfday!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Sweetie! I'm glad you've had such a wunnerful time.

Lissen to your voicemail...you are one of about four people for whom I will sing Happy Birthday.

Love you to bits...

+mac

UrbanGypZ said...

Awe, Sweetie big hug and happy tears. Beautiful post. Love you, Thank you for the awesome friendship.

Writer Chik said...

Very excited to have a new friend! We will all be ok!! We MUST keep laughing and enjoying life...even if it means getting older!

Dawn said...

Happy Birthday!!

Brook said...

Happy Birthday! What a great place to be-I look forward to that state myself. In the mean time there's this necklace...Seriously though, when we take the time to look outside ourselves it becomes possible to own the happiness we already have.