The Birthday Fairy

The birthday fairy stopped by and gave me another birthday. This one is the 45th one she's given me. Wow, 45. How blessed I've been in my 45 years of living.

Every October 12th, I feel so melancholy. I know some people feel nothing but joy on their birthday, but I'm not that type person. I start feeling all nostalgic and sentimental and then before you know it, I'm downright sad.

I don't mind getting older. I mean, I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me even one little bit because it does. I have wrinkles around my eyes. Wrinkles around my mouth. My back hurts. My legs and feet hurt. Sometimes my mind doesn't feel as sharp as it once did. But for the most part, my body has been better to me than I've been to it.

It's not the wrinkles or the aches that I don't like about getting older. It's that all of the people around me are getting older, too. My grandparents did. My parents are. My sisters are. My niece and nephews are. My aunts and uncles, who were -- and will always be -- in my mind's eye, young and lively! It seems like they should be 45, not me! Jeff's getting older, my kids are getting older. We're all getting older and it makes me blue. Can't time just slow down a little bit, please.

Sometimes just for kicks and giggles I stand in front of the mirror and pull my face this way and that, gently tugging on the wrinkles. And sometimes, just for a minute, I see a way younger Girl Named Kelly Kelly. All the face cream in the world just can't stop what age and gravity does to you.

Today I'm celebrating another trip around the sun, and I'm thankful the birthday fairy stopped by once again. I'll look forward to seeing her next year.

Till next time...