this past weekend nathans grandpa celebrated his 80th birthday.
his friends were there, his family was there, his whole life was in that room.
it took place at this wonderful hotel in moro bay. the room we were in had a beautiful view of the ocean and the sunset with boats floating lazily in the cool water. the sun was blinding and filled the room with a warmth we hadnt felt all weekend. nathans dad went to go pick up his father while we all waited in the comfort of our private room.
light swept around us as we waited in eager anticipation for this man. this man who has lived 80 years and still going. he has seen war, and death, and life, and technology grow into something a man of his age can no longer comprehend. we waited for him to come and see us all who have traveled from around the states to him. we waited with our glasses sweating with condensation putting small drips on the brown carpet.
we saw them out of the corner of the closed doors and positioned ourselves for the arrival. the doors opened and with excitement we all screamed "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" and he stopped. he was speechless. he couldnt move into the room: his legs wouldnt allow it.
his small bright eyes scanned the room at all of our faces and he just took it all in: the faces, the sunshine, the boats, the fireplace all of it needed a specific spot in his memory so he wouldnt forget. he finally took his coat off and hugged us all with earnest arms while trying to find his place in the room.
finally we sat and made small talk, and he thanked us all for coming, he was humbled by our presence and was speechless.
it all got me thinking.
about life. about my husband. about the people i love.
i hope that one day people will wait in eager anticipation for me. that they will long to see me to celebrate this day with me. that i will be humbled by their presence.
the other weekend we were coming back from college camp in big bear when we saw an accident. we couldnt see the car in the accident but we could see a car that looked like one of ours on the side of the road talking to police. i thought the car in the accident was kips car.
my heart stopped.
my eyes teared.
thats our kip. he is our marriages best friend. he is my husbands brother and lifelong partner in crime. i thought that mangled car was kips. a car filled with people i love and dont want to live my life without.
this 80th birthday made me think of these people and my life without them, and it is a sad life. a life that i cant say i would want to live without them.
my hope is that we can all feel that way. we can all find those people that make our lives worth living and worth feeling for. what is life without the kips?
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