A Bittersweet Birthday

This is a story about my birthday last weekend.

A Bittersweet Birthday

 

 

            Last weekend I celebrated my 51^st birthday.  When I was born I had so many

serious medical problems that the doctors did not think I would celebrate any birthdays.

But I survived and now hope I get to celebrate many more birthdays.  I really hope I get

to live to be 100.

            However, this most recent birthday was not totally happy.  The good part was that I went out to dinner with my sister and brother-in-law, as well as my brother and sister-in-law and youngest niece, and my cousin.  The sad part is that it was the first time I did not see my mother on my birthday.  She is in a nearby nursing home and has had several small strokes over the last couple of years, and they have caused her to have medical problems more serious than mine.  It hurts because we have always been so close.  On the other hand, I have had to come to terms with the fact that she will be gone sooner or later.