Markers. PT II.

Good morning.  I looked at my inbox this morning and found a comment on my latest post 'Markers,' which was exciting in and of itself!  Though anonymous, I do believe he/ she made their point.  Markers exist in the adult life-- just not with the same consistency and boldness as they do when you are a kid, waiting to jump from second to third grade (where you get to play on the big playground.)

Today is my birthday.  I discounted birthdays when I was writing 'markers' because as you get older, let's face it, they are just not the same.  There seems to be this understanding among adults that birthdays past a certain age are not a big deal and are to be underplayed.  It's almost 'childish' to be excited about them.  I think I felt like that when I hit the big '2-0.'  I felt like I needed to stop having parties and just accept a quiet dinner.  After all, that's what adults do, right?

I must say, my mother is an exception to this rule.  I think even on her 90th birthday, she will still get giddy at the thought of unwrapping birthday presents and blowing out candles on a cake with her name on it.  I like that.  I like that idea that life is to be celebrated and marked.  Granted, there is a certain amount of difference in the way you celebrate as you age.  If I were still playing water balloon toss to celebrate my birthday, it would be a strange thing indeed.  And yet, that spirit of celebrating those fewer markers in life is important, perhaps even necessary.

In light of this thought, I'm going to go and get a yummy pastry at Panera.  (I already had a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast!  Zone diet doesn't apply on birthdays, right?)