September 21, 2019

To members of a certain Tribe, you know who you are…

I did not write on my birthday, so I am declaring this day – September 21, 2019 – ‘Birthday 2.0’.

I have some traditions on my birthday. The most curious being the tiara that I wear ALL. DAMN. DAY! I don’t plan anything for my birthday, rather I let the day come to me. I follow my heart and do whatever comes my way with a sense of the divine, handing me the most beautifully wrapped gift. The day always includes my husband, Razzle, my boys and a whole cluster of people that I love and who are a part of my day because they want to be, not because of some self-inflicted, guilt-riddled sense of obligation. That is what I love most about them.

This last birthday, I turned 54yrs old and to be honest, I haven’t felt this young since I was in my twenties. My youngest son has a client who is a masseuse. (I think that is how you spell it, but I am too lazy to look it up.) He treated me to an hour of total pampering, followed by a light lunch at our local health food store. As we sat in the cafe we were being observed by a table of older women. I chalked it up to the tiara. As we left, one of the ladies did inquire about the tiara. My hunch was correct. As I explained that it was my birthday and my son was treating me to some pampering, the looks on their collective faces changed! “He’s your SON? We thought you were a cougar!!” True story.

The older I get the younger I get. I could chalk it up to working in a middle school, or it could be the side effect of being knocked down a peg, assuming that peg-knocking has a reverse affect on one’s degree of maturity. Or, just maybe it has something to do with living life with eyes wide open. Stay with me on this one. Not to long ago, I sat down with myself and took a long, hard look at some things in my life that were just not working for me anymore. It is very difficult to change habits, whether they be behaviors we do on auto-pilot, or those thoughts that have been residing in your brain for years, undermining your confidence and self-esteem; taking up real estate, rent free. Ironically, we can all attest to the fact that our thoughts influence those behaviors, right. So, there I sat…and there they were-those unproductive habits. I made up my mind right then and there that I would try to look some of these habits squarely in the eye and serve them a notice of eviction.

I know you are wondering what that has to do with feeling younger as I age, and the only thing I can say is that to me, breaking bad habits or changing unhealthy patterns is much like learning to walk. There are forward steps, backward steps and fall on your ass steps, but with perseverance and support we keep at it until we can walk. On our own. Always forward toward our destination. We walk alone, with family, with friends and in my case, with a Tribe.

Thank you all for your companionship.

Your sister in Christ,

Regina Mary

In my glass: Saranac Diet Ginger Beer

In my ears: The beautiful sound of my husband at the piano, and Auburn Football.

Saint of the Day: St. Matthew. Little is known about St. Matthew. except that he was likely born in Galilee. He worked as a tax collector, which was a hated profession during the time of Christ. According to the Gospel, Matthew was working at a collection booth in Capernaum when Christ came to him and said, “Follow me.” With this simple call, Matthew became a disciple of Christ.

Talk about learning to walk!

•