Advent Day 16
Today is the birthday of two special people, one is my Auntie who is elderly and the other the son of a friend, whose Mum has had more than her fair share of heartache in the past.
My Auntie has lived for more than 80 years, she was my second Mum throughout my childhood, the go to person when Mum wasn’t there, her team mate in many a ruse and crazy idea, she made my life happier for having her around.
In her later years she has been unwell and fought many, many personal battles with her health. Not content with surviving cancer, twice, she has also dealt with heart problems, with breathing difficulties and many other illnesses. Throughout it all she has remained cheerful, strong and brave. Not many patients get a standing ovation from nursing staff when they leave hospital war as she once did. People blown away by her courage and strength and her all round good spirit. I doubt I could ever be as strong as she is, an inspiration.
The other person celebrating a birthday today was born after his Dad had sadly lost his battle with illness,and his Mum is another amazingly brave and wonderful woman. She faced tremendous sadness and loss and came through the other side. Her beautiful boy is growing big now, and from what I see they have an amazing relationship. His Dad grabbed every minute of his life, lived it large and was always full of fun and laughter. Sadly he lived half of the life in terms of years, than my Auntie, but he lived a longer life than most, for he had the knack of making every moment count, of seizing the day, loving every minute and that has been a source of comfort for those who miss him every day.
It seems to me that celebrating birthdays is about looking backwards at the past and forwards to the future, if we are eight decades old or in our teens, there is still much to do, lessons to be remembered and to be learned. I wish everyone celebrating birthday today to enjoy, seize this day and the next, remember to choose happy and to concentrate on the good in your world.
Take it away Stevie