Post Birthday

An E-Mail to Susan:

Thanks. Your words and insights are always comforting. Your birthday wishes meaningful.

My birthday was spent with Pat, a new friend of three years, who is also a writer and with whom I felt an instant bond when we first met at a writers conference. She is good with Gregory and good for me. We have a lot in common, a lot of similar views, and most of all are easily respectful of each other's individuality and differences.

On my birthday, she and I went to Lieberman to help G with lunch, had some birthday cake in his room, went on to an antique mall in Gurnee (where I saw the most amazing hand carved German Noah's Ark for only $5,000,) went home for a nap, got back together to open gifts (Pat does good gifting,) went to Pete Millers for a huge steak and some jazz, and ended up back at the condo with another small birthday cake. 

It was difficult without Gregory by my side, but I did OK. You remember that my mom died on my birthday (still consider it a blessing from her to me) and now with Gregory more or less out of my responsibility, my birthdays (and currently my life is) are "spent" and/or "contemplated" rather than "celebrated." But that is OK. 

Many, many friends and family went out of their way to send me wishes (cards, calls, e-mails, texts, Facebook, wow what a large number of ways we now have to communicate, if only with a LIKE click) and that felt nice although I kept low for the most part. Today I will finish responding to my well wishers.

Still feel like I am treading water but the future is a large possibility islanded out there ahead of me. Talk soon,

Michael