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Along Life’s Way
Birthdays: Some
Thoughts
By Lois E. Wilson
Herman Hesse wrote: “Every man is more than just himself; he also
represents the unique, the… special and always significant and
remarkable point at which the world’s phenomena intersect, only once in
this way and never again.”
This is how birthdays are created. I recently had another one. It has
been said that each birthday gives us a new identity. Years add
privilege—you become old enough to go to school, to drive, to enlist in
the military, to marry and have a family, etc.
Do you remember when you could hardly wait to start Kindergarten? As we
grow up, we are seldom satisfied because we are looking forward to the
privileges our next birthday will bring.
The privileges we achieve at each age come with additional
responsibilities and problems to be addressed and solved. Birthday
parties celebrate and welcome our new age—our new identity.
At his 80th birthday celebration comedian Jack Benny, who claimed to be
39 for years, observed: “Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If
you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” A similar quote has been attributed
to Mark Twain.
When I tally the number of different U.S. presidents within my life
span, I really feel old. Thanks to the XXII Amendment to the
Constitution ratified in 1951, presidents have term limits. Therefore,
I have lived during a part or all of the terms of 15 of them. When I
have a president that I don’t particularly agree with, I can abide the
situation knowing that it too shall pass.
Identities at stages of my adult years have been salesperson, student,
wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, volunteer, teacher,
administrator, artist, and writer, to name a few. I’ve enjoyed all my
roles in life.
Oscar Wilde observed: “The old believe everything; the middle-aged
suspect everything; the young know everything.” However, I think the
old also realize that they don’t know everything and are willing to
learn what they can while they can.
F.D.R. is quoted as saying: “We cannot always build the future for our
youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” I guess in my
“golden” years I’ll concentrate on that. Perhaps my great grandchildren
can learn a thing or two from Granny. I know I’m still learning a lot
of things from them!
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