Blessed Belateds

It is now five days after my birthday. I have never been one to put great emphasis on birthday parties. In fact my anxiety level usually goes up the several days before, just hoping that my wife or kids not be fraught with undo efforts in that direction. In my mind birthdays are but another day, the one day a complete number can be calculated/claimed in the passage of time! Even from this rather simplistic perspective I do, however, appreciate one practice way back in my family of origin - simple Mennonite farm family with many kids. Lord have mercy on any one of us who thought we might have a birthday party for only that one! But, and I say this with deep sentiment and appreciation, the birthday kid got to sit on a pillow! And somewhere in course of the meal (can't even remember whether it was breakfast, dinner, or supper) we might sing a raucous version of happy birthday. There you go. That was it. On with life and the next pillow birthday for the next sibling in a few weeks or a month or...

So now social media provides a little tweak of familiarity for me. I appreciate the Facebook initiated greetings which come my way - each a window on a relationship which is a reassurance of connectedness with people who have been there and still consider it worth their time to "pass the peace" even if it was only the computer which provided the reminder. It's so easy, and so special - a bit like a momentary sit on the pillow! 

It is this ordinariness, this valuing of simple almost non-celebration which leads me to a new insight - and it could well be a spiritual discovery in this new modernity. 😀 I admit I am even slightly extra touched by the handful of greetings beginning with "Happy Belated" or "Sorry this is late but ..."  These have been the occasion of quite the tender exchanges. My inner being immediately gets it. Somebody is before me in genuine transparent desire, actually facing themselves or facing me with the greeting even though 'the big day' just slipped by. Special prize to my youngest son, totally in character, on the day after, on my cell while I'm driving, "Sorry a day late dad, but happy birthday." Very readily this dad will pull into nearest available parking lot and receive full dose of that blessing. 😚

Hey, my latest birthday was only the day that made it a complete number of years since my birth, and now we're moving along. And thanks for moving along with me even in the 365 minus 2 or 3 until it comes again - if I'm still around.

I think it is thanks to my large family's simple beginnings that now in the twilight the simple greeting here or there is a blessing beyond compare. Thank you all for the birthday wishes. They mean the world to me!