They say it's your birthday...again!

They say it’s your birthday, and today it is…again! And again it is Levi’s in St. Catharine’s, though it is this year he turned three, not last, and it is also Lou Reed’s, and Lou is now 66, still exactly a year older than I am. I learned that Lou and Laurie Anderson are still in New York and still together (see my post from this date a year ago for some questions I had back then), that they held a benefit last month for somebody there, and that Anne Carson, whom some of you know as one of my heroes, was part of it.

I missed the benefit – in fact was not even invited – but that is all beside the point because today is my birthday, and Lorraine and I had the chance to spend parts of the day with two of our three amazing kids (and the weekend in Toronto with the third), their bright and loving partners, and all three of our wondrous and inimitable granddaughters. This latter required a little arranging because we started the day in St. Catharine’s, at the tail end of our visit there, and said good-bye, or see you, to our sweet and radiant M before her dad took her off down the street to Stephanie’s day care around the corner. Then we flew to Halifax where we were met by a welcoming committee of two very excited little girls with their dad, helium balloons left in the car because they might have ended up at the airport ceiling, and whispers of chocolate cake they had decorated and birthday surprises.

I can remember a long time ago, perhaps when I was in my 30’s, thinking about the millennium and the fact that it was so far off and when it came I would be 55 – it was inconceivable. How could you imagine making it to there and what it might feel like? Now here I am, ten years into this century, and I am 65, officially a senior, officially able to request seniors’ discounts, and officially at the start of my 66th year.

I couldn’t imagine making it to there or what it would feel like, and I am surprised now to notice how little difference there seems to be from 10 or 20 or even 30 years ago (except that someone else has to put the small children to bed and I am free to sit at my laptop and listen to music, Mercan Dede right now, and not worry if anyone but me is going to wake up in the night or too early in the morning). Of course I am not going to push the notion too far, since I am no kid or young man, but a 65-year old guy with a stoop to my shoulders, grey hair, and a lot less strength or flexibility than I once had.

This, however, is no matter because I have three young granddaughters who will play with me and tell me about their worlds, and three children, with three partners, who are all young adults who will all take the time tell me what matters to them and listen to what I might have to say. It was the best birthday you could imagine, with the best people, and with cards, like M’s above (made a couple of days before she turned 20 months), that spoke of love and being loved. Best gift you can ever get.