Birthdays

I turned 32 last Thursday. Tyler, Madeline and Tucker took me to Mr. Pancho for lunch and gave me my gifts there...Tyler gave me tickets to see David Sedaris at a book reading here in October. There was a piece of paper enclosed with the tickets with an explanation of seating etc that said that this is to be a "book signing." I am taking every David Sedaris book I have to have him sign. I am so excited. I hope I don't cry.

I cry every time I meet someone not necessarily famous but just important to me. I don't know why and it is uncontrollable. It started in the 5th grade when a group of Cherokee Native Americans came to our school to talk about their culture. Then we had a big cultural celebration right there at school. There was venison chili, a drum circle and dancing. They were all wearing traditional dress and they were so beautiful and proud. I have always longed to have a history, a past and a culture to identify with. My great grandmother was full blood Cherokee on my Dad's side and I loved hearing stories about her from my dad growing up. On my mom's side there was evidently a Cherokee woman named America who ran away with and married a french fur trapper...how romantic. Anyway, I loved these people that came to talk to us. I was overwhelmed and touched by them. I raised my hand to tell them so when we were back in our classroom and I cried. Ugly cried.

I think it was in high school that I went to a poetry reading to see Miller Williams- an Arkansas poet and father of my beloved singer Lucinda Williams. I cried when I met him.

So, I bet I cry when I meet David Sedaris. I love him. I have our meeting planned out in my head (if I don't cry). I am going to walk up to him and say, "Moi parle belle un jour." Which is my best crude interpretation of the first essay that I heard him read on NPR- "Me Talk Pretty One Day"- and it is the title of the first collection of his essays that I read. I was at the beach with my family that summer. I would read the stories to my brother and we would lay there in the sun smoking and laughing. I loved the way my brother laughed. And yes, I had to cry for a good 50 seconds before I could write that last sentence. Thanks to Tyler for a gift that means more to me than you know.

I share my birthday with my Dad. He turned 65 this year. We had a small party for him planned and I was so impressed with Mom for making sure that she had all of the details in order before the big day. But poor Mom, she was on her way to pick up the cakes and was forced to swerve by another car and hit the curb, busting her tire. It was my job to distract Dad until party time so we were in town at a jewelry store waiting to hear back from Mom and when we finally did, we decided that it would be best if I went to get her and take her home while Dad stayed with the car to wait for AAA. It was so pitiful. She was so frustrated. She had tried so hard to make everything perfect and here we had to unload the makings of his party out of her car and move everything to mine right there in front of him. The party was to begin at 6:30 and we got home at 6:30. We got it all together and when Dad finally made it he was very happy to see his closest friends gathered for his birthday. It was a great night.

Turning 32 and feeling whole is nice. It is a peaceful, calming feeling. I snuggled up close to Tyler after all was said and done. We were home and about to go to sleep and I told him what a great birthday I had had. I have a thoughtful husband, two healthy children, a wonderful family and a group of friends that I adore. Some things in life fall apart but sometimes life falls into place, all at one time, all in one great day, and turning a year older isn't about little lines fast becoming full on wrinkles- it's about life. One more year of life full of memories and love. I loved my birthday this year.