time is relative

 My birthday is in a few days. I'll be 68. There was a time when I thought that was old, but it's not. At least that is what I'm telling myself this morning. It's all relative you know. Of course I am having a hard time remembering any relatives that are older than I am! By far, the majority of those folks are, shall we shall, indisposed. I don't want to think of them as disposed. Age itself is all relative. When you are five , someone seven is old, by the time you reach fifty the gap has to be twenty years or so before you think of that person as older. Ever notice that? When you are young, others are old, when you are old yourself, others are older than you but not old! Well, unless they are really old and infirm, then you may call them old people, until then however, they are just older. Know what I mean? 

 In recent years, since I have been on Facebook, I have enjoyed giving out birthday greetings to others. Many of those folks I knew in years past but was unaware of their birthdays. I've been surprised at times. Some are older, some are younger than I expected. I'm still a bit confused about one thing though, how my classmates got so old when I did not. It just doesn't seem fair somehow. It is hard to believe that it has been fifty years since we all graduated from high school. Doesn't really seem that long ago. Birthday parties weren't much of a thing with my family growing up. Mom always made a cake and we had ice cream, that was usually about it. Just the family. My sister gave me a birthday party when I was sixteen, the only real birthday party I've ever had. That would have been 1969, fifty two years ago.

 I've noticed on Facebook some folks ask others to donate to a charity for their birthday. I've been getting notifications from Facebook regarding that, asking me to do just that. I won't do that for a simple reason, it just seems presumptuous. To me, I would be assuming that others intended to give me a gift. By asking them to donate to my favorite charity I am making that assumption, am I not? Now I wouldn't know who did or didn't, but I would know if anyone did. I don't know, it just seems like I would be leveraging my birthday, and my friendships for gain. Even though I personally would not benefit from that donation, my charity would, it would bother me. You don't have to give me anything to make my birthday happy. I don't know, it's just one of those things with me. 

 I have reached that age where I don't want a fuss made over my birthday. I think most of us feel that way at some point. Now, reaching a hundred is a milestone to be celebrated. My Mom will be gone for two months now, just three days from today. She lived for 92 years. Yes, she was old but I felt like I was catching up. She was twenty four years older than me. In speaking with her she didn't want a fuss made over her birthday either. Although she was in relatively good health, no major issues, still doing her counted cross stitching, knitting, and other crafts almost to the very end, she was very much aware the end was close. She eluded to that eventuality often, I expect it preyed upon her mind. I think much like when we are young we anticipate our next birthday, she anticipated that. It is something we really don't want to think about. I don't think much about getting a year older, it is just something that will happen, I hope! 

 Age is somewhat like money. At first it is something you want. You look forward to getting some, the more the better. Fact is you can't seem to get enough. After some time the quest for money fades somewhat, it isn't as exciting or important. Yes, you still need it, you still want it, and more is better but getting it doesn't occupy all your time. For some of us the desire for more money will never cease, we will always want more. For others they get so much money they just stop counting altogether. And then there are the rest of us. We like having money but we would just as soon not think about it. You feel that you have enough, more would be better but you can live with what you have. And that is where the similarity ends. Too much age and you ain't living! Too much money? I wouldn't know anything about that. All I know is you can't take it with you. Maybe you should just leave it all to the charity of your choice. Might save the family fighting over it.