Birthdays and Memories

I have the pleasure of celebrating a friend’s birthday this week. The big five-four (54). Time sure passes by quickly.

I remember when he had long hair that went all the way down to his waist. With his scraggly beard, he reminded me of Jesus (laughing). What I remember the most though is his hands — “kind” hands. He used them in ways that expressed his concern for other people, a touch on the shoulder, a pat on the back …

Time passes so quickly for us. I’m told by “older” friends that the older one gets the quicker the time seems to pass.

No longer can we play in sandboxes and have it considered “normal” — well, as if anyone is really normal.

My iPod has all of my songs on it and when I play them on the “shuffle” setting, sometimes a sad song comes on …

Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar 
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder 
And tearful at the falling of a star 

Then the child moved ten times round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams 
Words like when you’re older must appease him 
And promises of someday make his dreams

And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We’re captive on the carousel of time 
We can’t return we can only look 
Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game 

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now 
Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town 
And they tell him take your time it won’t be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down 

And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We’re captive on the carousel of time 
We can’t return we can only look 
Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty 
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There’ll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through

And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We’re captive on the carousel of time 
We can’t return we can only look 
Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game

The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell, from the Ladies of the Canyon CD

With gray hair sprawling through his body, he is still the man I know, the man I married and the man whose twinkle in his eyes light the flame in my heart.

Ahhh — life. There’s no going back in time and when we reminisce of days gone by we see them filled with joy and pain. Round and round life takes us on its journey. Each day, each minute, each moment never to be re-lived.

But for now, the moment is mine. This moment I will love and allow the love of others to encompass me. When I die, I can say that I have lived and loved.