30 - 30 - 30 - Happy Birthday, Kelly!

From my daughter's birthday on December 6 to mine on January 26 our family ages are: my father- 95, me- 65, my daughter- 35, my granddaughter- 5.

I looked up the meaning for the number 30 and found it has it's own wikipedia page and people called "thirtyophiles" who sing its intricacies and praises, most of which I don't understand. There's even a You Tube video by one of these fellows at the end of the page who goes on for six minutes about the magic of number 30. Amazing!

I just think it's very cool to have this 30 year spread between four generations of my family for these two months, even if there's no cosmic significance.

As for my daughter turning 35, now there's cosmic significance. Kelly, child of my heart, when I became a mother, I thought I was mothering her to life, but in some mysterious real way, she brought parts of me to life that never would have come forth except in response to her. Mothering her is my  favorite life role so far, although I'm crazy in love with my Honey and have great fun as grandmother to her two Dear Ones.

It has been different than I thought at every step of the way and I cherish it all. Well, after I got over myself and opened up to her as separate from me, I cherished it all. I didn't really get that it would continue my whole life, mothering, but I'm so grateful it has. I'm grateful to be Kelly's mother and I thank her for choosing me to be her mother. I admire and love her.

3 + 5 things I love about Kelly:
1. That she exhorts your two children to listen to their bodies and stop eating when they're full.
2. That she breast fed her babies on demand and trusted their wisdom to know when to stop.
3. That she chose where she wanted to live, found a way to finance going there and then followed her passion and lives there.
4. That she chose the man whom she wanted to marry, built her relationship with him, then trusted her judgement and heart and asked him to marry her.
5. That she and her husband built their own home, raise their own food, and always seek ways to strengthen their community.
6. That she knows, loves and preserves the Trinidad rain forest, encourages others to discover its treasures, and fights those who would harm it.
7. That when her son grew to hate school, she removed him and decided, after consulting with trusted friends, to home school him and her daughter.
8. (proposed by her Dad): That despite our faults and mistakes, she continues to love her parents.

Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Happy 95th!

9 plus 5 ways to age well from an interview with my Dad who is 95 this year:

1. Dance every week to music you like with someone you love.

2. Eat good food moderately, and if they don't serve nutritious food at the senior center get involved in changing the menu so they do.

3. When your sad, have a good cry.

4. Go to classes or groups at the senior center that interest you. I met Helen at an aerobics class when I was 84.

5. Keep reading and keep up with current events.

6. Go to church and sign up to do something for someone else, like reading to an elderly blind person.

7. Volunteer to read to the local kindergarten class. Shel Silverstein and Dr. Suess have some great poems and books for the little ones.

8. Keep in touch with family and remember people still like to get a note. Put a dollar in it.

9. Say thanks to neighbors who help you, who shovel your snow and cut the lawn. Slip them a fiver every now and then for a treat.

The bonuses:

1. Feel grateful each morning you don't find your name in the obituaries.

2. Say prayers every night for family and friends. Mention them by name.

3. Keep active. If you need to use a cane then forget your pride and use one.

4. Love everyone because that's what life's all about.

5. Keep some good jokes or funny little poems handy even if you have to write them down. Share them every chance you get. Guys like fresh ones.


Words to live by with no commentary needed!