More Birthdays

by Marinka on November 16, 2011

About two years ago, after enjoying perfect vision my entire life, I needed glasses. Obviously I took it as an opportunity for a “WHY ME, GOD?!” moment, but my ophthalmologist stopped me short. “Getting glasses is a privilege of getting older,” she said.

I think about from time to time.

Last weekend, a bunch of us gathered in Sedona to celebrate our friend Anna’s 45th birthday. All six of us are within a few years of that age (I am a slimming 44) and it was interesting to me that none of us, not once, complained about our age.

Or maybe we did, who the hell can hear or remember at this age?

We looked at photographs of ourselves back from the college days and laughed. Because sure, we were young and had unlined skin, but we wore jeans up midway up our waists and we had shoulder padded jackets and we hadn’t yet met our life partners and we didn’t have any children. That we knew of. No, we definitely didn’t have any children.

I felt lucky the entire weekend. Not only to be in a beautiful place with good friends, but to be there for a happy reason. To celebrate a birthday, to spend it together, to be getting older.

I’m excited to be part of American Cancer’s Society’s More Birthdays campaign. The American Cancer Society is dedicated to a world with more birthdays and less cancer. Please visit them to learn about what they’re doing and how you can get involved.

So here’s to more birthdays. Because they come with cake.

Thank you to the American Cancer Society for sponsoring this post.

One year ago ...

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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

rebeccaNYC November 16, 2011 at 11:49 pm

yeah, I didn’t feel old in my 40’s AT ALL. I was hip! I was rockin a cute hair cut and great boots! I was all that! Then I turned 50, went into menopause, gained 50 lbs and forgot what sex was. This is what you have to look forward to. Here’s to more birthdays, because they tell me that 60 is the new 40.

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Stasha
Twitter:
November 17, 2011 at 2:30 am

What a lovely post and important campaign. And now I crave cake!

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Becky
Twitter:
November 17, 2011 at 11:13 am

More birthdays and less cancer. Now who can’t get behind that?

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Melissa A. November 17, 2011 at 11:37 am

I love the idea of this campaign and makes me tear up each time I see it. My second cancer free birthday is coming up in Dec. Yay for more birthdays!

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Ilana
Twitter:
November 17, 2011 at 11:58 am

I had my “getting old” freak out at 24. I can still hear the echo of my mother laughing at me. Birthdays have been much more fun ever since.

Lovely cause to get behind.

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Kara November 17, 2011 at 1:26 pm

I agree – the 40’s are the best. Here’s to more birthdays and less cancer!

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tracy@sellabitmum
Twitter:
November 17, 2011 at 1:30 pm

Awesome cause. I now have bifocals. Hold me.

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dusty earth mother November 17, 2011 at 1:52 pm

Who doesn’t love more birthdays and less cancer? Thanks for doing this.

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mindy (mississippi) November 17, 2011 at 6:08 pm

Oh, honey. Wait till you turn 6-0. I did this year. It is the most freeing thing ever. You can go out in public in your jammies and no one raises an eyebrow. Not that I would know.

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the mama bird diaries
Twitter:
November 17, 2011 at 11:12 pm

I don’t love birthdays. But I love cake.

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Gretchen November 18, 2011 at 12:59 am

I’m so jealous. My best friends and I never got it together to celebrate any of our recent HUGE birthdays together. Sad. And I thank God every day that none of us has had to battle the big C. I will now go and quickly knock wood.

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Pseudo November 19, 2011 at 4:18 pm

That’s awesome. I’m a believer.

I threw myself a birthday party last weekend. I was ecstatic to be 54. It was my first birthday past my five year survivor mark, and I was all the more aware of how fortunate I am because I lost a dear friend to cancer last month. He was only 47….

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Alexandra
Twitter:
November 19, 2011 at 5:13 pm

I know.

the older I get, the more vulnerable I feel.

I can’t get old.

But I do want to stay on the planet and have more birthdays.

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