A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip. ~Author Unknown

Today is the birthday of my most cherished and beloved wife. The woman I have spent the last fifty years married to and a couple more before that when we went to school together. I can’t imagine her not being with me, so I won’t. I ran across the quote above and I think it’s great. It is apropos for any age, but especially for we who have been around the block a time or two. One of the things we learn from life is that we can look at things through positive eyes or not. I’ve done both at times like almost everyone does but really put it into use when I got to within seven years of retirement age and didn’t think I could go one more day. But at that late in life moment I decided to put everything into a positive mode and behold you all know the answer, it’s not one of life’s mysteries, the next seven years flew by happily. It can really be of help when you start reaching that golden age. Now isn’t that about the most uneducated phrase ever used. Getting older is like the bumper sticker says, not for sissies. The body starts to fail you and prevent you from doing the things you love the best, like the elementary exercise walking. Arthritic knees or hips make walking hard work so the walks are pared down and become very short and brief. So a positive attitude becomes very important and becoming a philosopher is one talent you should pick up. What’s that phrase, from the bible I think its, there’s a time for everything under the sun. There’s a little more to it but you know the line. The memory still functions and I remember the many long walks the birthday girl and I went on with happiness. When and if the memory goes that would be terrible, but it probably won’t, most people keep their wits about them for the duration, so it is important that we read and heed such elementary thoughts as the one I started this piece with. We can make the next year a walk in the sunshine or, well we won’t go there. As for me, as long as that birthday girl is with me the year will be bathed in sunshine. Happy birthday.