I turned 48 years old on July 14th. My husband kept me up until midnight because he likes to be the first to wish me a happy birthday! So I started the birthday celebration with a kiss and then 7 hours of sleep, glorious sleep! When I woke up, I had to pack for the beach. My friend Donna, her 23 year old daughter, Bria and my 10 year old daughter were going to the beach for my birthday! We ate on the pier and Bria surprised me with a handmade fruit bouquet! ( I can’t celebrate with birthday cake because I am a type 2 Diabetic). Then we walked down to the beach. We put out blankets and towels and beach chairs. Our daughters went to check out the water. So far, so good. I have felt like an old 47 year old and 48 was now here! Why don’t I just celebrate by falling down and breaking a hip and getting some rest on a hospital gurney! Any how, I planted my butt into a beach chair and watched the girls.
Then Donna, who is a young 50, said, “I’m going in the water Deb!”.
“What? Are you crazy Donna? That’s why we have kids! They get into the water for us! We sit here and try not to move in a bathing suit!” I replied.
“C’mon Deb, ” she insisted, ” Let’s get in. It will feel great! I promise!”
Get in the water? Swim in the ocean? When was the last time I did that? I’m not even sure I would do that if one of the kids were being swept away in a whirlpool of dolphin! I haven’t been in the water since high school! But Donna looked like she was having fun. She and the girls were body surfing and laughing out loud. I thought, what the heck, why not?!
So, I got up and walked toward the beach. Was it just me, or did the life guard sit up and look at me? Did he look worried? Nah, it’s just my imagination. The sand felt great under my feet. The water was clear and refreshing on my legs. I was in the ocean! It felt so wonderful. I ran into the water and jumped into a wave! I felt alive! I felt young again! Donna and I played in the water with our daughters for an hour! It was more fun than I had in a long time. And to think, I almost passed it up thinking I was too old. WE only got out of the water because it got too windy. We ran back to the car and changed. I held a towel up for Donna while she changed in the backseat and then she did the same for me. We both noticed at the same time the passenger door was wide open and there was a guy in a van next to us. I thought, well happy birthday to him too! What a perv! Then we realized, he wasn’t even paying attention! What a jerk!
We walked down the boardwalk for some frozen yogurt and spent money in a store that Donna calls “All you could NEVER need in a shell” and headed home.
What a very happy birthday!
48 is going to be a good year!