"But it's not quite my birthday yet," I tell my Mom as she hands me a big purple envelope with a card inside before we sit down to eat at her apartment in Brooklyn.
"Yeah, I know but you like to display your birthday cards for a few days before and look at them...besides we all know how it is Birthday Month for you", she tells me whilst she puts our salads with mulberries we picked ourselves and pecans, that we didn't pick ourselves, on the table for dinner.
It's a gorgeous card. It is crocheted beyond the point of detailed...pink, red, yellow and white-colored flowers with lovely crocheted green leaves embellished with faux gemstones in the center of each flower. Plus there's lots of bling around the border. Wow! There must be hundreds of stitches that combine to make this crocheted floral bouquet.
"It's beautiful," I tell her and I mean it as I open the card to read the poem she has written inside...
"Happy, happy, happy birthday!
May all good things come your way.
Enjoy the clouds, flowers and the sun,
Fill your life with friends and fun.
Revel in a year that is divine.
Happy, happy, happy forty-nine!"
Yes, 49. There it is. Almost half-a-century. I'm secure in this notion of ageing. It simply is. But back to the card.
The poem. It's a lovely poem. Harmless, one would think. I can't possible get in trouble because of this poem, can I? Oh, yes, I can...I laughed. Oops. I am now in the birthday dog house :(
"Enjoy the clouds"....I laugh out loud. Big mistake. Huge mistake.
But wait, you have to let me explain. I love clouds. I have nothing against clouds. I am in no way, shape or form anti-clouds. I am laughing because that's about all I will be doing the next few days, working at 40,000 feet for the next 6 days...enjoying the clouds...working amidst the clouds...living with the clouds...you get the idea.
"Enjoy the clouds". I will. What choice will I have? Truer words have never been written. I laugh again. There is no escaping what comes next.
"What? What is so funny? You're laughing at my card? Do you know it took me two weeks to make that card? That's it. No more cards for you", Mom tells me.
"Mom, I intend to frame it because that's how fabulous this card is. What are you not hearing? I love this card. I'm just laughing because of the prophetic choice of words", I say, realizing some serious damage control is needed here. What to do? What to do? I do not want to spend the rest of my days on the planet being on the receiving end of, dare I say it, store-bought cards from my Mom. There's nothing better than being the recipient of one of my Mom's card creations. They are so made-with-love that I just want to hug it!
"Enjoy the clouds". Three simple words. I decided to heed that advice with card-in-hand. My birthday card and I drove along the Atlantic Ocean/Lower NY Harbor this morning en route to JFK Airport. Lots of wispy clouds billowing around the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge with freighters and cruise ships dotting the harbor. I visited the cockpit with my birthday card in hand and reminded the pilots to enjoy the clouds between NYC and Los Angeles. They thought it was good advice and called me when the airplane made its way through a bank of clouds and revealed the Grand Canyon below. Be it lounging near the pool with my card and looking up at the brilliant blue sky replete with clouds or noticing a flag blowing in the breeze, be it the sky over the Atlantic or the Pacific today, I have heeded my Mom's brilliant poetic advice and have most assuredly enjoyed the clouds.
My birthday card and I, from sea to shining sea, on this glorious 4th of July weekend, enjoyed this day. Today reminded me, birthday or not, that we should all take some time to enjoy the clouds, flowers and sun. Celebrate each and everyday.
My Mom gave me a great gift for my upcoming birthday.
She gave me the clouds. :)
Happy 4th of July. Happy Birthday to me...and Happy Everyday to You...oh, and Mom. The favorite part of this card? Aside from "Enjoy the clouds"? I love you too.
"Yeah, I know but you like to display your birthday cards for a few days before and look at them...besides we all know how it is Birthday Month for you", she tells me whilst she puts our salads with mulberries we picked ourselves and pecans, that we didn't pick ourselves, on the table for dinner.
It's a gorgeous card. It is crocheted beyond the point of detailed...pink, red, yellow and white-colored flowers with lovely crocheted green leaves embellished with faux gemstones in the center of each flower. Plus there's lots of bling around the border. Wow! There must be hundreds of stitches that combine to make this crocheted floral bouquet.
"It's beautiful," I tell her and I mean it as I open the card to read the poem she has written inside...
"Happy, happy, happy birthday!
May all good things come your way.
Enjoy the clouds, flowers and the sun,
Fill your life with friends and fun.
Revel in a year that is divine.
Happy, happy, happy forty-nine!"
Yes, 49. There it is. Almost half-a-century. I'm secure in this notion of ageing. It simply is. But back to the card.
The poem. It's a lovely poem. Harmless, one would think. I can't possible get in trouble because of this poem, can I? Oh, yes, I can...I laughed. Oops. I am now in the birthday dog house :(
"Enjoy the clouds"....I laugh out loud. Big mistake. Huge mistake.
But wait, you have to let me explain. I love clouds. I have nothing against clouds. I am in no way, shape or form anti-clouds. I am laughing because that's about all I will be doing the next few days, working at 40,000 feet for the next 6 days...enjoying the clouds...working amidst the clouds...living with the clouds...you get the idea.
"Enjoy the clouds". I will. What choice will I have? Truer words have never been written. I laugh again. There is no escaping what comes next.
"What? What is so funny? You're laughing at my card? Do you know it took me two weeks to make that card? That's it. No more cards for you", Mom tells me.
"Mom, I intend to frame it because that's how fabulous this card is. What are you not hearing? I love this card. I'm just laughing because of the prophetic choice of words", I say, realizing some serious damage control is needed here. What to do? What to do? I do not want to spend the rest of my days on the planet being on the receiving end of, dare I say it, store-bought cards from my Mom. There's nothing better than being the recipient of one of my Mom's card creations. They are so made-with-love that I just want to hug it!
"Enjoy the clouds". Three simple words. I decided to heed that advice with card-in-hand. My birthday card and I drove along the Atlantic Ocean/Lower NY Harbor this morning en route to JFK Airport. Lots of wispy clouds billowing around the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge with freighters and cruise ships dotting the harbor. I visited the cockpit with my birthday card in hand and reminded the pilots to enjoy the clouds between NYC and Los Angeles. They thought it was good advice and called me when the airplane made its way through a bank of clouds and revealed the Grand Canyon below. Be it lounging near the pool with my card and looking up at the brilliant blue sky replete with clouds or noticing a flag blowing in the breeze, be it the sky over the Atlantic or the Pacific today, I have heeded my Mom's brilliant poetic advice and have most assuredly enjoyed the clouds.
My birthday card and I, from sea to shining sea, on this glorious 4th of July weekend, enjoyed this day. Today reminded me, birthday or not, that we should all take some time to enjoy the clouds, flowers and sun. Celebrate each and everyday.
My Mom gave me a great gift for my upcoming birthday.
She gave me the clouds. :)
Happy 4th of July. Happy Birthday to me...and Happy Everyday to You...oh, and Mom. The favorite part of this card? Aside from "Enjoy the clouds"? I love you too.
You truly have one the best MOM's ever!!!
ReplyDeleteLove you both...Chip
Two things I know for sure and am very grateful for....I have great NYC parking spot karma and I lucked out when God and fate conspired to give me the best Mom for me....plus I have some pretty wonderful friends too...some guy named Chip is rather wonderful :) Love...ETC
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