At 74, each silly, sentimental birthday card reminds me I’m lucky to have lived so long

I suppose the birthday cards lining my mantel say it all, a reflection of North America’s mixed messages about aging in a youth- and beauty-conscious society. This year’s collection of greetings run the gamut of ideas around what it means to grow old. They range from silly to spiritual, from profound to inane and to everything in between. There are those that poke fun at the physical indignities which occur over time and those that embrace the inevitable changes of aging.

Each birthday reminds me I’m one of the lucky ones, fortunate to celebrate another year of life, to add more memories to an already crammed storeroom. Though not all of the past 365 days are noteworthy, at 74 I love the ordinary, whether memorable or not. Everyday stuff is what French writer Georges Perec termed “infraordinary” or “what happens when nothing is happening.”

Aging does that. It allows me to be more generous in what I consider important: my time, emotions, confidence and compassion toward others. I’m still working on that last one and remain hopeful I’ll get there yet. My perspective continues to change with time and circumstances, one of the gifts that come from years of experience.

Today, I’m content. It’s my birthday and I’m wrapped in a bubble of warm weather and wishes, surrounded by flowers and the sweet wafting scent of spring. Four years ago, COVID shut down the world on my birthday. As everyone held their breath waiting for the next round of restrictions, I could have used help blowing out the 70 candles on my raspberry cake. That strange year taught me not to take life or celebrations for granted, particularly not birthdays.

Nodelphi Noastack

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