Sensational Birthday!!!

Look at me… I’m 63… WOW!!! IMG_1457

Several months ago I didn’t seriously think I would be alive to celebrate my 63rd birthday. God has other plans for me, so I’m still here. When I was still awake after midnight, and when I awoke this morning, I said prayers of thanks for all the blessings and challenges I’ve had which has brought me to this day.

Every now and then I think about something, not often, just every once in a while. I’ve had numerous operations, several due to cancer which altered my body. If God were to say to me… Carol, I will put you back the way you were, but then you will lose all the lessons you have learned and the experiences you have had along the way because of these operations and challenges. And all the people who have touched your life and who you have touched will also lose those lessons and experiences. Everyone who was touched by any of you would also lose their lessons and experiences. I would have to tell God no. Everything that has happened has helped me become who I am. If anything were different, I would most probably be too. Once in a rare while, when perhaps the pain or health issues were pretty intense, in a moment of weakness, I might take the deal. But, after I did, I would probably reconsider and say I want my old life back.

It’s sort of like when I was living in Texas and it was winter time and and there was about an inch of ice glazed over everything. I was standing in my driveway trying to thaw out my car so I could open the door and try to get it defrosted so I could drive to work. Which considering all the ice on the roads was not a great idea. Thankfully, I worked for a city and I lived half a mile from city hall. I called the police department and asked them to come get me which I think was smarter than me driving on those roads, even if I was able to get my car defrosted. Anyway, that day I told God that I was tired of cold weather and ice and I wanted to move somewhere where it was in the 70s most of the year and it didn’t get cold. Unexpectedly, a few months later, I was offered the opportunity to move to Florida. I really liked Texas and didn’t plan on moving to Florida, but that’s what happened.

Within a month after accepting the job, I was living in Florida. It was 100 degrees in Texas the day I left and in the low 80s when I arrived in Florida. Anyway, because I lived in Texas for almost 19 years I was used to a slower pace of living. Being in Florida is like living in New York and New Jersey, it’s a faster pace of living. I forgot what that was like and didn’t even think about it when I agreed to move. I get to Florida and thought oh no, what did I get into? It took quite a while for me to adjust. When it’s snowing and cold elsewhere, it is nice living in Florida. I’m still not quite adapted to the pace of living, and having so many people in a small area, but it’s okay. I’m still a country girl at heart. The point is, that sometimes what I think I want, or what I think is best for me, isn’t always the case. I have to trust God and know that God’s plan for me is what is best.

Garth Brooks has a song entitled Unanswered Prayers. Here is a portion of the song:

“… Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers…”

If I didn’t have all these health issues, which has lead me to how my life and health is today, I most probably would not be donating money to the extent I have been. I would not have met the most incredible people along this path such as the fire chiefs and their staff, I would not have been getting all the cards and emails from everyone.  My story would not have made any newspapers, magazines, or television stations. Based on comments I read, or that was sent to me, my story has made a positive impact on so many people reading my story, perhaps their lives have been changed in some way. I am so blessed and grateful that God put me on this path, and all of you are on it with me. All the parts of this connecting spiderweb would not have happened. I realized it’s not concentric circles in a pond from a rock being thrown into the water. If it was, nothing would be connected until it was far out from the center where the ripples smooth out to be flat with the pond. This is more like the spiderweb, there are sort of circles out from the center,  but there are lines connecting the circles keeping it together. There are also slender threads attaching it to the structure it began with, and where it’s anchored to. We are all connected, now more so than ever.

Back to my birthday… wow… it’s been a sensational day. My last birthday party was when I turned 50. I had a “It’s Nifty to be 50” party. It was a cookout with balloons and bright colors surrounding me and my friends.

Today, when I got up, I had several emails and phone calls from friends wishing me a happy birthday. I had lunch at JB’s on the Beach with my mom, sister, and a few of my close friends. I requested no presents because there isn’t anything I need. However, not everyone listened to me. I got peachy/coral roses, a Balloon Fiesta hooded sweatshirt because a friend knew how much I missed being there, a glass with candy, and also a gift certificate to have my apartment cleaned.

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Left to right
Front row: Pam, Carol, Florence (mom), Mary Lou
Back row: Ashley, Gordon, Alice (sister), Nona

The cards everyone gave me had such touching words, they went straight into my heart. I can feel the love from everyone. Thank you so much. We had a great lunch looking out and seeing the ocean, that is when we could see it through the intermittent heavy rains.

If you want a friendly place to eat, with great food, JB’s on the Beach is the place to go. Yesterday, I went to JB’s and met with Scott the General Manager to make arrangements for lunch today. When we arrived for lunch, I was very surprised. We were escorted to a private dining room in the back of the restaurant. We had a perfect full view of the ocean. This is the same restaurant we went to when the Georgia fire chiefs and firefighters came in July. It’s at the top of my list of favorite restaurants. General Manager Scott Moen is now one of my heroes, and a friend, too, for many reasons. One of which is that he is a former volunteer firefighter and even though he is no longer a firefighter, it still has a special place in his heart. You can read about his generosity to me and the Georgia firefighters in my Georgia Firefighter story (July 2013).

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When I got home from lunch I opened my mail. Wow, more surprises… One of my friends wrote a poem for me about our friendship, another sent me an envelope with several small packages that she referred to as unrelated stuff because she thinks about me in unrelated places. Knowing that I like puzzles, she included a 24 piece two-sided floor puzzle by Dale Chihuly called Pure Imagination. It is a picture of his incredible glass art which hangs in the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, and the reverse side is a sketch of how it was planned and designed. In 2005, I flew into Las Vegas, rented a car and drove to Bryce and Zion National Parks in Utah. I did however, spend a few hours walking through hotels on the strip, since I knew I would not be back there again. I remember very vividly looking at the glass sculptures and light fixtures in the Bellagio and being mesmerized by their beauty and size. My friend who sent this puzzle didn’t know that part of my story, so her sending this puzzle to me brought back an unexpected and almost forgotten lovely memory.

The mail delivery today brought cards from many of my Kinnelon High School classmates. In addition to the card, they all had nice personal notes written to me. I remember everyone that sent the cards. One of my classmates even sent me a picture of our senior class trip to Washington, DC. It’s black and white and about 22″ by 10″. I remember almost every person in the picture, including the teachers. I can even remember the colors in the dress I am wearing. Back in those days the girls dresses could not come higher than the top of our knees, and boys hair could not touch the collar of their shirts. In the class picture all the females are wearing dresses, and all the males are wearing shirts, ties, and jackets. Bet class pictures now are very different from the “olden days.” Another classmate sent me a card saying that a tree is being planted in a National Forest in my honor. I feel honored because she cared enough to do that. Many times on my trips I camped in National Forests, or drove through them, especially out west.

I want to thank everyone for making time in their busy lives to let me know that are thinking about me. When you send cards, feel free to include your phone number or email address, I might surprise you and call to thank you personally. It would be nice to reconnect.

My friend Pam continually asks me if I feel the love from everyone. I can most definitely feel the love that is being sent my way.

Thank you again everyone for making my birthday extra special. Your kindness is sincerely appreciated.

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2 Responses to Sensational Birthday!!!

  1. Norine says:

    Happy belated birthday – it was good seeing you at the craft show. I’m catching up on your adventures and enjoying your inspirational stories. Stay strong – Norine

  2. Cathy Hacker says:

    Sounds like your birthday was wonderful !!!

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