As you can gather from the title, January 17th is my birthday. Another year has passed and what a year! I’ve been as high as the top of the world, as low as the depths of hell and everything sparkly in between.
So on my special day, I am going to talk about my beginnings in a roundabout way. In spite of the fact that my daughter, Alyssa, believes that I was born in the dinosaur era, pictures tell otherwise.
Obviously, my parents lived in an era where things looked a little different. I mean really, look at those cars! My parents (who I used to call Mommy and Daddy, but now call Mom and Dad -that was a shocker, I’m sure!) were very much in love when I was born. I love this picture of them holding hands. They were so young – just teenagers! I can look at them both and recognize the similarities in my appearance which is truly a combination of them both. It breaks down like this:
The physical traits that I have like Mom are:
- high cheek bones
- smile
- fingers, but in a larger size
- legs
- toenails
- face contour
- eyebrows
- feet
- neck
The apparent traits that reflect my Dad are:
- bone frame
- grin
- eyes
- fingernails
- knees
- walk/gait
- height
- elbows
- lower back
Now I have virtually dissected my parents bodies, but for a good reason. Sorry! I know they aren’t frogs, but I did it for a reason! Dad passed away this year and yet, I only have to look at myself and see him. He lives on through me and that is comforting. I also can look at myself and see my sweet Mom. So when I am feeling like a real wimp, once again she is only a visual inspection of myself away.
Our ancestors live on through us. Are we honoring their legacy and creating memories that would make them proud? I like to think that I’m doing the best I can to add value to my family – not only those that are living, but those that have passed and are still unborn.
I look forward to the new start and opportunities that await me this year. I envision big changes in my life, within myself, my career and my online endeavors. I can honestly say that this weekend brought with it something that has been missing in my life. A feeling that I knew could brighten my attitude and change my life for the better.
Hope.
I have hope and I am clinging to it today. I have two parents that loved and love me with everything they had and have to give. I am thankful beyond words that they fell in love and sometime around April 26, 1962, made passionate love from which I was conceived. I can say that about my parents because I know it is true! Just read Mom’s comment yesterday on my post entitled My Fingers Quiver On Your Skin and you will know that I speak the truth!
Well I did not close my eyes, you left out the best places. Like in a tin roof tent of hay in the forest in a thunder storm, or in the hay loft of the barn when the sun is setting, In the middle of a field in a win row, sun setting, wild geese landing all around you. { a win row is a large mound of trees that the land was cleared of for farming} Your dad forgot all about shooting those geese,lol. Well I guess I have said enough, would not want him to haunt me tonight,lol.
mom
January 16, 2011 1:25:00 AM EST
See-e-e-e? Passion runs in the family. (smile)
I will be tweeting interesting facts about my birthday tomorrow, so even if you do not have a twitter account, you can still read them by clicking over to my Twitter account.
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!”
That was just beautiful Wordsworth! Thank you so much for writing me a happy birthday poem. Isn’t he just the greatest? Anyway, “Happy Birthday to me” and thank you all for sharing it with me. Here’s a song that I really enjoy whether it is my birthday or not and hope that you will enjoy it too.
Hope you have a wonderful Birthday! (mine was the 16th)
Happy Birthday greetings are being sent your way! Hope it's a great one!!!
It is 3 in the morning , I will be first, Happy Birthday my child. That picture caught me off guard! It was the summer after 8th grade. The dress was powder blue, his slacks was dk brown, his coat was brown tweed and oh how in love we were. I am crying, for the love is still in my heart after all this time. When I saw the picture it all came surging back and I felt 14 again. I could smell the old spice and his hands were big and strong and I felt so safe with him. He looked at me with those green eyes with so much tenderness AND LOVE THEN!! He was 16 , and was he not so handsome? You were conceived in more love than most ever know. Happy birthday my baby girl. to go back to the days of pooh. only in my dreams.
Mom
Many Many Happy Returns of the Day. I loved this post. Thanks for sharing.
A small birthday gift from my side….Take the Birthstone Personality Test and find out what does your birthstone reveal about you. I have taken the test and liked it. Hope u too will like it. Have Fun!!
My wish for your birthday is that you experience more happiness this year than you ever have before.
Happy birthday beautiful!
HaPpY bIrThDaY JAVA! I love the old picture! Have a wonderful, wonderful day! This is going to be YOUR year! 🙂
Have a waffle cone on me!
Leslie from Tranquil Acres of Alexandria
Happy Birthday! I loved reading about how you resemble your parents.
Happy Birthday – Cowboys Style – which means lots of Yee-Haws between each Happy Birthday!!!!!!
SO who did you get the red hair from? I missed that.
AND…. I am so jealous Wordworth wrote you a birtday poem. Totally jealous!
Wishing you a blessings and joy in this new leg of your journey!!! Filled with awesome friendship, too! A year of refreshing, letting that peace kind of seep in, like a good stew simmering all day:) (There's always a food connection)
Cooking a BIG TURKEY dinner tonight just for you! LOL Wish you could be here to enjoy:)
A very Happy Birthday to you today!!!
Happy Birthday! It's my birthday too. All the great ones seem to have Jan 17th in common!
Redhead Riter, I was so happy to read this passage that you wrote, "I look forward to the new start and opportunities that await me this year. I envision big changes in my life, within myself, my career and my online endeavors. I can honestly say that this weekend brought with it something that has been missing in my life. A feeling that I knew could brighten my attitude and change my life for the better.
Hope."
You have hope once again! How wonderful! With hope and a dream in your heart anything is possible!
May your birthday be filled with happiness and love, knowing that you have touched so many people's lives and are beloved by so many people!
I loved what your mother wrote to you. It was so touching. She is a beautiful writer!
Happy Birthday to you!!!
Greetings and hugs to your mom! 🙂
Happy Birthday!! I wish you the best with peace, happiness & lots of blessings.
You were very lucky to have such wonderful parents and memories of them! Happy Birthday!…:)JP
Happy Birthday to you Red!
Your voice sounds so postive in your post. I'm so glad for you. Hope is a great thing to have and hold on to.
May your day be filled with everything wonderful!
Happy, Happy Birthday! What a wonderful post too! I know what you mean about your parents. Last summer I started writing about growing up in the mountains at my family's resort. There was a lot to 'uncover' about my parents, and how that directly and indirectly shaped and formed me.
Ha! Better than hours of therapy!
I'm sorry to hear about your father's passing. But I'm glad he lives on thru your wonderful writing 🙂
Happy Birthday my friend.
Have a great day.
A Very Happy Birthday to you again. Hugs and love to your Mom. It is wonderful to know how loved you are even before conceived.
Happy Birthday to a very, very special lady! Thanks for giving a bit of yourself to us all. I love that you have hope for hope does truly set us free!
Hope your birthday is a great one! Blessings and love to you!
Happy birthday to you. I remembered from last year that we both have the same birthday and I was thinking about you today:)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
It doesn't matter that you are another year older, we enjoy that you are here to share your life.
Happy Birthday.. what a wonderful post…the comment from your mom was the icing on the cake in this one. Very personal and very beautiful… you are so fortunate in your life in many ways, I can see.. Wishing you all the best in the years ahead!
Happy Birthday Red! You don't look a day older than yesterday! LOVE YA!