I remember waking up as a young boy on every January 23rd knowing that it was my birthday and wondering, what would the day bring?
What gifts had my parents bought for me and would there be a party and a cake? How would my siblings celebrate my special day? As a child, there was always a cake to mark the day. It was as if your birthday wasn’t official until you blew out the candles.
Today I turn sixty-five.
I’ll wake up this morning with the same enthusiasm and gratitude for this day, as I do every day. I no longer want or need anything tangible like gifts or that birthday cake. I jokingly told my family that the only thing I needed was a butter dish because the one we had got cracked.
As you age, you crave having caring people in your life. You want meaningful relationships with friends and family. Each day is a chance to be helpful to someone without needing something in return. I know I am blessed and surrounded by love in all of the circles of my life.
Mom
My amazing, almost 92-year-old Mom Bea, as she has for all of my life, was first to give me a birthday card to celebrate my sixty-fifth year. Sometimes I think she is responsible for keeping Hallmark in business.
This year it was addressed to Jeffrey Lynn (Poppy Jeff) Slater. Poppy Jeff is my grandpa name that Bodhi Kai chose when he was born on December 16, 2018. He whispered my special name in my ear.
I’m so grateful to have my wonderful Mom in my life every day. Although we live 500 miles apart, we speak each day at 5:00 pm to tell each other what happened that day. How was the weather, where did you go, did you get the final jeopardy question last night? We share the small stories of the moments that make up our lives. That’s what we have done for sixty-five years. I am so blessed.
Dearly Departed Angels
Although loved ones close to me have left the material world, I am still grateful for them every day.
My late father Jack Slater left this world way too soon. But I feel his love and guiding hand on my shoulder every day. My beloved Aunt Annette also left too soon, but we had so many wonderful days together sharing our love of Julia Child, Groucho Marx and all things Brittish. I wish my four grandparents were here to see me at age 65 and as a grandparent.
All of these loving souls are with me. When I hold my grandson Bodhi, I can feel them watching. They aren’t in the material world, but I know they surround me with their love and eternal compassion. I am so blessed.
Ra El
I’m so fortunate to have a wife who is my best friend, my life partner and teacher of profound compassion, whose love is a daily reminder to always see the bigger picture and embrace the unknown of limitless blessings and possibilities. She is my divine spirit guide who helps me open my heart to life’s higher truths and listen for the voice of my soul. Plus, she laughs at my bad puns almost all the time and loves my juicy roasted chicken and smashed potatoes as her favorite happy meal.
We have been together for forty-four years but, I know that we spent past lifetimes together too, probably on another planet or in a land where cats are in charge. Wait, cats are in charge in this world?
Ra El brings celestial joy, abundance and artistry into my every day. She reminds me to take a deep centered breath when I’m stressed, and she laughs out loud at me when I vacuum the house to relax. As we move into a new phase of our lives as young grandparents, we get to continue our cosmic journey together. I am so blessed.
Bodhi Kai Snyder
Becoming a grandfather as I turn sixty-five is all the gifts I will ever need. Holding Bodhi in my arms, 
as he wraps his hand around my thumb or raises his hands, is everything. Seeing Sarah and Adam as mommy and daddy is joy times infinity.
I have so many stories to tell him and important information to teach my grandson. He doesn’t yet know that 32 is a funny number and he hasn’t learned the importance of listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong singing together. He doesn’t even know how to reduce a sauce to get to the essence of the flavors. So much to teach him and so much for me to learn from him. I am so blessed.
Sarah, Adam, Fanny & Tony
If you met my daughters and their husbands, you’d see why I don’t need any gifts on my birthday. Their presences in my life are the presents of my life. Each in their own way loves me unconditionally and with kindness and a sense of humor. They help me laugh and stand by me when I cry, without comment or judgment. They are all beautiful, talented human beings who share what I value most in my life – kindness and compassionate hearts. I love to watch each of them grow in their chosen professions. Their love is all I need from them, and they give it to me generously in overflowing streams of goodness. I am so blessed.
My Siblings
If you met my brother Mitch, his wife Leslie, my sister Diane and her husband Jerry, you’d see that the gifts keep coming. Together we share an everyday caring for our collective family. In their ways, they help to inspire me, to encourage me and to care for me. We help each other out using our special talents. We have shared a history that is illuminated in a million photographs of our lives together.
Like any family, we have our issues but we are all rooted and planted on solid ground. We nourish each other. In our individual eccentric ways, we each find pathways to be helpful, especially at the right moments when it counts. Like the perennial cake that appeared at every one of my birthdays, my siblings provide so much sweetness to my life. I am so blessed.
Friends and Colleagues
If I started to innumerate the friends and colleagues who are threads in the fabric of my life, this post would be endless. Each friend and professional acquaintance I have made on my journey has enriched me, taught me valuable lessons and given me more than I could ever give to them. Together these friends have created a tapestry that I am wrapped in to feel loved, respected and secure. Over sixty-five years, you meet a lot of people. I have been so lucky that so many of them have wanted to be part of my life and have offered me so many gifts of kindness. I am so blessed.
This Sixty-Fifth moment
What will I do today on my birthday to celebrate this landmark occasion? The same thing I did yesterday and if I am lucky, the same thing I’ll do tomorrow. I’ll breathe in all of the grace that surrounds me every moment.
And maybe, I’ll have a small piece of cake too.
When I’m not writing personal stories, I blog about marketing. Need help with a marketing challenge? You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Try my new chat feature on my site if you have a quick question.
