The Prime of Life

I turned 43 over the weekend. Birthdays seem to be more anticlimactic each year. This is not the only prime age I’ve ever been, and Lord willing, I’ll have a few more but with each year or each day, I realize that Today is a gift. 

In this current prime of life, I thought of some things that would make all birthdays better. Beware: you are now entering my headspace. If 42 is “the meaning of life” then 43 might be the “age of random” (though these types of things have always been a part of my thinking). These trains of thought may or may not have an emergency exit. 

1. No inconveniences like sneezing, blowing your nose, or needing to go to the bathroom. For one day, wouldn’t it be lovely for all of your body to get along? No waking up to go to the bathroom and being unable to go back to sleep. No sneezing fits no matter the weather. No aches or pains to remind you that you are older. All of those issues can take the day off so you can celebrate in peace.

2. Perfect weather – which I guess varies based on the individual. Being born in February and living in many different places, I seldom have had a “warm” birthday (but it does happen occasionally in Texas). This year, my birthday started cold and misty with wind. It did warm up a little but the wind chill still made it unpleasant outside. I’m not very outdoorsy anyway.

3. Anything you eat on your birthday should make you lose weight. Birthday cake, take off ten pounds! Favorite restaurant, take off 20! Most importantly, the weight should stay off so you feel good as you celebrate another year. 

Anticlimactic though it was, my birthday was a wonderful day. More than that, the prime of my life is not in the extraordinary things. It’s in the everyday moments that the best memories happen.