It’s my birthday and I'm celebrating, as Elaine Stritch famously sang, because I’m still here.
I’ve always loved birthdays, so why should I stop celebrating them now? Aging shouldn’t change how we see ourselves, and as women why should it? We've earned every wrinkle from a life well-lived, and our beauty certainly lies within. Maybe that’s why I never understood people who insist on hiding their age. What’s the point? Is it better to face the alternative? Exactly.
Birthdays are special and important because life is so delicious and quite precious. It all goes by too quickly so carpe diem! Seize the day.
My chronic illnesses won’t stop me from feeling this way. To paraphrase my husband, I still have a childlike innocence about me, and for that I am thankful.
So today I celebrate and am grateful for so much:
I’ll admit that life isn’t perfect and rosy. Far from it. My MS has changed in many ways since my diagnosis and I’ve accumulated a few other autoimmune annoyances. At times they wreak havoc on me and I can spend days on end cooped up at home wondering when it’ll all be over, if at all. I do my best to manage my health with a lot of self-care to literally get me back on my feet.
So Happy 61st Birthday to me! I look forward to adventures ahead despite any setbacks that come my way, and to the endless possibilities that lie before me. I know I can do this.
I also want to celebrate YOU for being with me here in this space. It means so much to have you join my journey. Thank you for your kind and caring comments. You’ll never know how much they mean to me.
Since I get extra birthday wishes (because I say I do!) I WISH YOU a healthy, joyful, and peaceful life.
Namaste.
Happy Birthday, Cathy. May you always have your positive attitude and be blessed with many, many more happy, productive years. Enjoy the day.
Happy birthday Cathy. 🎈💪🏽💕😐
From another MS warrior that’s having a tough time at this point. 27 years diagnosed . Now secondary progressive 😓. Your posts are always inspiring
Happy birthday Cathy, my online friend who feels like an IRL friend. I wish you many more years of health and happiness and good times with your loving family and friends. Much success in all your creative endeavors. As they say “till 120!”
Happy Birthday dear friend! You always bring sunshine to my day. May God bless you on your journey. ❤️
Happy belated birthday Cathy. Keep up your great work empowering people especially those of us dealing with chronic illness. Wishing sunshine, healing thoughts and a year filled with hope.