Birthday

Dang! Another year has gone by and I am another year older.  I am not sure whether to rejoice in the fact that I am 'wiser' or keep a somber mood because I am older.  I truly doubt if I am any more wiser...  We may have mapped the human genome, explored the surface of Mars and developed crops that produce their own pesticides, but we know so little about our own brains.   Not a single scientist can yet explain the complexity of our cognitive skills with respect to age.  So what's with the phrase: older and wiser.  I think it's just a ploy to lure people to be happy on each birthday because happiness can work miracles on preserving life and youth.  So, perhaps it is not a bad ploy after all.  I felt on top of the world with greetings and warm wishes from family,friends and a delightful 'four fairies' Hallmark card from my mother.  I no longer care about the wiser or older, just happy to be alive and joyful.  I don't see wrinkles on faces anymore, I see them as 'life experiences', something you cannot beg, borrow or buy.  And I firmly believe that laughter is the best medicine for holding on to your youth.

I set out to make my own sweet little guilty delight out of a white cake with roses and strawberry whipped cream frosting.  I wanted to make as many rose buds as my new age!  Darn...you realize how silly a challenge like this is when you are no longer 10, 20 or 25.  Okay, at least have the courtesy of reading through this posting before you go back up to count them if you really want to  (and shame on you if you cheated)...My vanity still prevents me from writing the number down. 

And what ultimately made my day were long stemmed red roses, the box of chocolates (wrapped in pink also -freakishly scary) and the bottle of red wine that walked through the door in the evening on the arms of my three most favorite people in the world.