It’s Saturday morning, Labor Day Weekend. I’m up, sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee as Julia watches “True and the Rainbow Kingdom” on Netflix. Hannah and Christopher are still snuggled in bed. It feels like another Saturday, like so many that I have been blessed with throughout my life. Today, however, is just a little bit different; It is my birthday, my 40th birthday!
The birthday wishes started early with my first “Happy, happy birthday” sent to me at 5:51 this morning. I read it feeling special, feeling loved, even at such an early, predawn hour! My phone continued to buzz and beep and ring from family, friends, co-workers sending their birthday wishes. My dad texted me, then immediately called me, my first birthday phone call at 8:00 am. He seemed to be in shock that his son is 40. Yep, I’m 40, but I don’t feel 40. I feel like I did yesterday. I feel loved. I feel blessed. I feel grateful!
So, I just got interrupted by a surprise, 8:30 am birthday party from the kids,. I didn’t even notice Julia disappearing from her show. It was a fun little morning birthday party. We had a chocolate on chocolate cake, grits, sausage, cards and gifts. Christopher also wrote the sweetest letter. He has such a big heart! What a day it has been already and it’s only 9:24….9:24….the exact time that I was born 40 years ago!
I’ve always heard that being 40 is “over the hill” and that at any moment my eyes are going to get blurry, that I’m going to need reading glasses soon and that my body will just start “changing.” Maybe all of that will happen, but right now, I don’t feel it. I feel great physically, emotionally and just blessed beyond blessed as a 40 year old!
I did have all of these thoughts about the last 39 years of my life to write about today, but I’m going to save that for later. I want to spend today with my kids and the ones I love. In fact, the kids and I are going to all go for a run in just a bit. I am still in training mode for next week’s triathlon, but last nights fajitas, margaritas, tequila, along with this morning’s cake, is sort of giving me the twitches right now. I think an easy run with the kids will help and maybe a birthday run with my kids will become a tradition that we can start today.
I don’t know what the next forty years of my life has in store for me, but something tells me that I have a lot to look forward to. I’ve been very blessed in many ways the past 39 years. As I have said in many of my posts before, I strive to be a better man and a better dad every day. Today, on my 40th birthday, I will reflect on the last 39 years, cherishing the memories, embracing the challenges and living to be the best dad, the best man, the best person I can, even as “an old man.”
Have a blessed day everyone….on my birthday!
Matthew
