Birthdays: a time to give thanks

My youngest granddaughter turns 9 today, and I'm going to help her celebrate. As this is her Golden Birthday, we're really going to do it up right, too! She's over-the-moon excited about this special day and our plans to celebrate. And isn't anticipation at least half the fun?

I love birthday celebrations. I always have. Several people have told me that birthdays just aren't that important to them. I suspect our attitude toward birthdays has much to do with how we were raised. Did your family make a big deal out of your birthday? Or not? Some families have a special plate the birthday child gets to use. Some have parties. Others take the birthday child out to dinner. Then there are the special gifts. Yet others do nothing but say "Happy Birthday" to the birthday girl or boy. Perhaps some families don't even do that.

It doesn't matter what customs you have—or don't have. In my view, what's important is that we take the time—whether the birthday is that of a friend or a family member—to be grateful for that person in our life. Or if it's your own birthday, be grateful for the life you've enjoyed so far and for whatever is yet to come. A birthday is a good time to stop and give thanks. And it's a good time to reflect on all the birthday person adds to your life.

Happy Birthday, Payton! I'm smiling as I give thanks for you and as I think about all the sunshine and joy you bring into my life and into the lives of all those around you.

Tend to relationships

Last Friday I wrote that I was attending my cousin's funeral (six months after he fell on the ice while retrieving the Sunday paper on their driveway, suffering severe head trauma in the fall). As I said in that blog, this was a huge reminder to me that life can change on a dime.

At the graveside service following the funeral, the pastor reminded us all of the same thing. He urged us to tend our relationships. If we have any grudges and disagreements, any things we need to forgive or for which we need forgiveness, take care of that, he said. Forgive others. Reconcile. Speak words of love. Be kind to others. Don't let things fester.

After the graveside service, some of us in the family talked about what great words those were. We all need to hear that. It's so easy to get caught up in drama, to carry resentments, to take offense (often at things that in the long run are relatively inconsequential)—and in the busyness of our lives, to forget the "good stuff." We forget to thank others, to say the "I love you's" and the words of appreciation and admiration. We don't always forgive easily.

I want to remember the words we heard last Friday—and tend to the lovely garden of relationships with which I'm blessed. How about you?