Actually it was my birthday yesterday, not today, but that is not the point.
The point is "why would I want to cry" on my birthday?
When I turned thirty, about a hundred years ago, my family had a big surprise party for me and although my neighbors were there, my closest friends were there and most of my family was there...there was one very important person missing.
My grandmother was not able to attend.
My uncle, John, is a photographer and he videotaped my party.
As an extra surprise, he visited my grandmother and taped a special message from her to me, which he added to my copy of the tape.
I didn't realize at the time just how much of a gift this was.
Thirteen years ago on February 1, Nana died and two months later on March 30 I popped in the video and sat crying as she sang happy birthday to me...in her special way...just like she always did.
Every year since, on my birthday I receive a gift that most people would kill for...I am still able to share my birthday with a loved one who is no longer here. It makes me cry, but it is a good cry.
I was really disappointed when she wasn't at that party, but I now realize that if she had been there that day, this video would never have been made.
Not having Nana there for that birthday ended up meaning that she would be with me for every other birthday...that's what I consider a wonderful trade!
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