Birthday Eve

Blog 02.01.2014—Saturday

It's the first day of February: February first, this has become a very symbolic day for me—first and for most getting to February first means I've survived January, the darkest and coldest month of the year, State of the of the Union, State of the State and the beginning of the Utah Legislature. When I was work employed by the State I always had my Advisory Board Meeting in January. I hated having the board meeting in January but that is just how things worked out—My December holidays were always a little blighted by the fact I always had the January board meeting on my mind.

Getting to February first also means I am one day away from my birthday—now a days that does not hold the excitement that reaching this day like it did the first ten years of my life, when I truly believed you could order the gifts you would get at your celebration. Now, truly it is a day I would soon forget especially the celebrations forced gatherings of family, usually if not on that day the closet weekend usually a Saturday. Sometimes at a restaurant you happened to mention once that you liked so now is your “favorite” or having everyone to your house for a dinner or cake and ice-cream. Some families make it some families don't do to geographical distance or work schedules. Sometimes there are gifts and other times you tell the kids just having their presence is presents enough.

Getting to February first also means that I am still alive and that is great as well as terrifying, tomorrow means I will have survived another year—tomorrow I will begin trying to survive my sixty third year. Now I understand what the cliche means Each day is a gift. This also means each day I could die and one day I will, sooner now then later. I am not trying to be grim this is just the way life is. I do not perseverate on this issue it is just there, always in the back of my mind like the January board meeting it is going to come.

Perhaps the most important meaning February first has to me is one twelfth of the year is gone and what the hell did you do? Are you making every day count, are you helping folks, are you taking care of yourself like there is no tomorrow? It's February if you're sick get the hell well, February is a short month then comes March and things begin to warm and Spring gets ready to make its appearance. The first part of the month is always cold and bleak but the second half can have some spectacular days, a prelude to Spring. So February can be the prelude to the best year of my life year 63 of my life= I like to be 63 !!

So I gotta get busy. I gotta be awake and alert I have to get active and I gotta get as healthy as I can. I gotta tag up on as many bases as I can and get ready to steal home if I have to. The clock is running and the sands are falling and I have only so many presents left to unwrap I best start enjoying all my gifts.