June is a busy month for me. Two of my three daughters were born in June. When my middle daughter was three, I hung a huge Happy Birthday sign across the living room. I had not had time to take the banner down when I went into labor with my third daughter, only five days later. It seemed appropriate since it was literally the birth day of my third daughter. My daughters are approaching mid-life now and more than ever, I feel a strong desire to celebrate the amazing women that they have become. Birthdays are celebrated in order to honor the person we are; although most people look upon them only as a measurement of the years that have gone by since their birth. There is an unspoken shame in our youth oriented society for those whose birthdays have all too quickly accumulated. It has even been considered unseemly to ask a woman her age. Birthdays; however, have a far deeper significance, than they are credited for.
Celebrating my daughters’ birthdays now feels more like a spiritual achievement. It was exciting when they reached their first birthdays and when they reached other milestones; but that is like reading only the beginning chapters in a book. The history that they have made in their lifetimes, their successes, their failures, and the discovery of their own spiritual strength, arrived at in their own unique ways, is something to marvel at. Watching them both stumble and fall, and watching them thrive, reflects back to me where I have helped them, as well as where I made mistakes in raising them. With each birthday comes deeper understanding for myself and for them. While they are no longer my children, the bond that we have only deepens with each passing year. My middle daughter will be celebrating another birthday on Monday. My youngest will have her birthday a week from tomorrow, but I will not be able to celebrate with her since she is currently on her way to Kuwait. I will be wishing her a happy birthday in my heart, but my biggest wish is that she will return in six months, safe and sound. My oldest daughter will not celebrate her birthday until the end of July. While they celebrate their birthdays, I will have my own inner celebration of thanksgiving. I will be reminded just how grateful I am that they chose me to be their mom. I will know deep gratitude for the strong, healthy, and beautiful women that they have blossomed into.
