Happy birthday to me.

I'm 60 years old today. An epic age. A dividing line birthday. As my stepmom said, "wow, that's a big one".

It's been a week that feels appropriate as a lead-up to a big birthday. My husband is battling a nasty staph infection in his arm, the kind of ailment that would lead to dire consequences if we didn't have powerful antibiotics. I got a big award at work, the Director's Award for being the employee who most exemplifies the spirit and ideals of the agency. A sense that I have accomplished some worthwhile work, a sense of the fragility of it all, and the shifting sands that lie ahead for R. and me.

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I was good to myself today and went for a walk. The world was beautiful today, chilly and austere in the slightly dimmed sunshine of a lowering sun. As I walked, I thought that perhaps New Year's Day isn't the best day to make resolutions. Maybe birthdays are better, especially an epic one that signals a new phase of my life.

So I have made a few resolutions:

To be a bit more fit a year from now.
To be a bit more slender a year from now.
To get in to work earlier, and to go home earlier.
To spend as much time as possible with people I love, and who love me too. Our best friends came over to dinner tonight, and we all said we haven't seen enough of each other lately. We're going to change that.

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Mmmmm, cheesecake!

Yes, I am having a happy birthday, with a touch of joy here and there.

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