A Birthday & Accepting A New Year Gracefully

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Today is my birthday. I don't say that so you'll make a fuss. It's just a very quiet confession that I'm thinking a lot about my life, the past year, the coming year and how I'm doing at this thing called life. I always get very contemplative the night before my birthday. And so it was last night.

I actually forgot it was my birthday until my parents text messaged me an early birthday note yesterday afternoon. I was knee deep in a project, more than two hours in the copy department at Office Depot when I got their text. This project has proven to be significantly more difficult that I anticipated, and I am so happy to do it, but can't believe how difficult it's been. It's just been four days of Murphy's Law of things that can be more difficult than humanly imaginable. This project seriously should have taken me four hours instead of four days. So when I finally got it done last night about 10 pm, I decided it was time to put things away and focus myself on my birthday celebration.

I always try to make some grand plan for my birthday, but I haven't today. I have yet to decide on a birthday gift to myself. That is always a must for me. The things I really want most for my birthday and the coming year is peace for me and healing and safety for people I love.

I happened to run out to grab some dinner at about 11 pm and while searching the radio for something to listen to, I came upon a radio station talking about spiritual energies, karma and our life's calling. It only lasted for a few minutes but it got me thinking about my own personal power. I thought about my strengths, my abilities to influence for good, and how much I need to remember and magnify my gifts. I want to think more about those things. That inspired me and gave me a jumping off place for my contemplation about this coming year.

My plan today is to spend some early morning time outside, near the water, overlooking the city. A few moments to pray, ponder, feed my soul and journal. Then I hope to have a lovely lunch later in the day. In the evening, if I am very lucky, I will get to spend some quiet time with The Man. That sounds like a pretty good day to me. Come Thursday, life will jump back to it's "very busy for the next few weeks" status. And I hope I am prepared and able to live more graciously and more gracefully.

Here are a few other tales of birthdays:

Swim Little Girl Swim
A Favorite Birthday Gift
Blue Journal - A Lifelong Gift
My Best Girl - A Surprise Gift

I'd love to hear how you best love to celebrate your birthday in the comments below. I'd love some fresh inspiration for the day! I am sending you my best wishes for your May 23. Hope it is a lovely and inspired day for you. It is my favorite day of the year, after all.