Birthday

Today is my birthday. My glib answer as to age is 29 and holding. Of course by now I have been holding for 29 years also. My Oriental Wisdom calendar has this to say for today: "We can be spacious yet full of loving kindness; full of compassion, yet serene. Live like the strings of a fine instrument - not too taut but not too loose." Buddha

That is a nice sentiment for a birthday greeting. I love music and play the guitar a bit so a string instrument is apropos. I may not be a Stradivarius but maybe I can strive to be a lower end Ovation guitar.

I have seen and experienced a lot in my lifetime. On the day I was born a tornado hit the other side of town. The Alaskan earthquake also happened on this day. I tell my brothers when they tease me about the disasters on my birthday that Mother Nature is just celebrating my birth a little too enthusiastically.

I have been lucky enough to see man step on the moon and Rover land on Mars. I am a huge space fan and devourer the pictures from Viking and all the space probes. I love space and mankind’s exploration of our solar system and beyond is a constant delight.

I have watched as the medical world has found cures for diseases such as polio that almost cost my mother her life when she was a child. There has been great strives made in the war on cancer. It is a battle that I believe will be won in my lifetime.

I love films and great actors. I have watched in my lifetime the greats perform, people like Lawrence Olivier, Alec Guinness, John Gielgud and others of the old school. I have watched the newer generation and applauded performances by Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson, Timothy Dalton, Viggo Mortensen and others that light up our screens now.

I have watched in awe as my favorite book, the Lord of the Rings, was brought in all its glory to the screen by Peter Jackson. I remember seeing the original Star Wars so many years ago and being blown away. I have attended, worked and even ran science fiction conventions, the special province of geeks like me.

I have known great love in my life from my maternal grandparents and my own parents and brothers, niece and grandnephews and grandniece. The picture is one of my favorites being that of my Grandpa Hughes and myself. I have had the love of friends all through my life. I have had the privilege of knowing and touching the lives of people who to this day let me know how much my friendship has meant to them. I have been able to be in a position to help others and have had people come to my help when I needed it.

My life hasn't always been a bed of roses but I have had more ups then downs and through it all I have felt the presence of God watching over me. All in all I must say that this day brings with it the pleasure of being alive.