9.28.2011

My Beautiful Birthday Book

I want to tell you all about my beautiful birthday book and what prompted me to write this blog (which I have been meaning to do for a month now).

I was working at Tuesday Morning and a woman was purchasing a gorgeous cashmere throw. I commented on it and she said she had just turned 60 and the throw was a birthday gift to herself. I said, “I just turned 60 myself and my daughter gave me an amazing gift.” She replied that her daughter had also given her a special gift – she had flown in from her home in Berlin for a visit to celebrate. Well, I thought to myself, “I can top that!” I told her my daughter had not only visited me from Boston (OK I know Boston is not Berlin, but it gets better) and she brought her precious baby with her.

Then I told her my big news – my daughter left a gift with my husband to be opened on my actual birthday and it was the most sensational, thoughtful and beautiful gift. It was a pretty notebook with FORTY letters from my friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and even college friends from 40 years past and they all said the best things. Like, how I am a good friend and fun and they love me and all that stuff that is so nice to hear/read especially when I am feeling low. The letters were all so interesting. I even received one listing the “Top Ten Reasons Why It’s Great To Be 60” which included a great comment on my perceived hearing loss which meant I could tune out Mike. College friends sent photos of the good old days and my daughter-in-law wrote an incredible letter that I will cherish. I have read and re-read all the letters so many times.

I know so many of you participated in this wonderful book and I was so shocked and surprised, not only by the wonderfulness of it all, but that so many of you took the time to actually write these special letters. I know how busy everyone is and I promise if anyone ever does this for you, I will be first in line with a letter, as this meant the world to me. Thank you so much.

Well, the lady at the counter started to cry and kept telling me what an incredible gift it was and how blessed I am to have my daughter who organized all of this for me and I couldn’t agree more! I really didn’t mean to make her cry with my story or make her daughter’s trip sound just OK, but there you go! I DID GET THE MOST AMAZING GIFT EVER. IT EVEN MADE TURNING 60 NOT SO BAD!!!