Another Trip Around the Sun

I put my birthday cards on the kitchen counter this morning - what a sweet thing to get to do. Milt and I used to always do that on the hutch in my Chalmette kitchen, and so here I am, with a counterfull of cards on August 17th. And a headfull of memories. And sonofagun, I've got a counter.

In the last few days I've kissed a 93 year old aunt and a 1 year old neice and all manner of wonderful friends and family in between. Had lovely birthday texts, voicemail, emails and snail mails. I'm a lucky sextygenerian.... Chris Rose wrote in his TP column today that The Boss has turned 60 and is on the cover of AARP. Holy shit.

Kinda strange, this milestone birthday. Chris digested all that and immediately bought tix for Springsteen's concert in Memphis. Like it - Road trip anyone? I did get to listen to a young singer/songwriter, Mike Zito, this weekend. Lyrics to his song, "Today," are below....It's a sort of an anthem of mine. Earlier this year I wasn't to keen on being around to see today, so there you go. Nothing profound to tell ya from these strange birthday ramblings - like my life, it's got some bittersweet flavors. I'm still processing all that, but it's okay to be here. And I'm overwhelmed by gratefulness that so many good people have been in my life. I've been lucky, at all ages, and I hope that streak continues. I've got friends old enough to knew-me-when, new friends that don't know the whole truth, and means to see the promise of that for the future.

So, while I was (artfully) decorating my home with cards, there's a song on a new CD by my old friend Buffet called "Another trip around the sun." These guys say it best...

JIMMY BUFFETT "Another Trip around the Sun"

Hear 'em singing Happy Birthday
Better think about the wish I made
This year gone by ain't been a piece of cake
Every day's a revolution
Pull it together and it comes undone
Just one more candle and a trip around the sun

I'm just hanging on while this old world keeps spinning
And it's good to know it's out of my control
If there's one thing that I've learned from all this living
Is that it wouldn't change a thing if I let go

No, you never see it coming
Always wind up wondering where it went
Only time will tell if it was time well spent
It's another revelation
Celebrating what I should have done
With these souvenirs of my trip around the sun

Yes, I'll make a resolution
That I'll never make another one
Just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun
Just enjoy this ride ...
Until it's done

MIKE ZITO, "Today"
mikezito.com

"I'll take my time about growing older
try to live like I'm getting younger
all my friends say that life is colder
but I just smile and offer my shoulder

my life is simple for that I'm grateful
with all my blessings I can't be hateful
this world is heaven with you beside me
my eyes are open to what might find me

I know that life is gonna bring some pain
but with some help from above i know it's gonna be okay
just for today

I know the feeling of always falling
the lost confusion of endless crawling
and when I woke up among the living
it came down to love and forgiving

I know that life is gonna bring some pain
but with some help from above I know it's gonna be okay
just for today

there's a world on fire
full of hate and desire
I know that love is gonna pour like rain
Just for Today"