(no subject)

[stonebender]

Tomorrow will be my 50th birthday. It's kind of a startling statement to me. 50. I keep getting hit with the realization that I've been on this planet a pretty long time. Things that seem really recent like the 80s are a really long time ago for some folk. It is a really long time, and I'm not supposed to remember long ago. I'm the youngest in the room. I'm the one that doesn't get references to The Shadow or Fibber Magee's closet. Nowadays, I'm often the oldest in the room. I saw Star Trek when it first appeared on television. I remember the lunar landing. I remember so many assassinations; John, Robert, Martin and Malcolm.

When I was 3 I had no right to an education. Disabled women were regularly sterilized in ignorance and for their "own good". Nobody heard of a curb cut. Later, doctors told me not to count on a long life. My parents, never expected me to go to high school or college. They thought I would stay with them until they died and then perhaps live out the rest of my life in a nursing home. After all, that's where many people with disabilities ended up, they still do because of the lack of community-based attendant care. Yet I got through high school and even through college. I never managed a full-time job, but I'd like to think that my volunteer work has made the world a little better.

This year has been a rough one for me and for mine. Sickness has left me feeling fragile. I'm closer to the end of my life than the beginning and I'm hating it. I try to concentrate on the good stuff. All the people who love me and take care of me. All and wonderful people who make me a little part of their life as I make them part of mine. I never expected to make 50. I thought I'd made peace with that long ago. I was wrong.

I hope I find someway to cope with what's coming. I'd like to think that I have a little of that stubbornness I'm so proud of left to deal. I've said this many times in the last several months. This has been one of the hardest years of my life, but it is also the year that I realized how well loved I am. loracs, we've been together for longer than we've been with anyone. Thank you for this life we've made. serenejournal thank you for this life we've made. And to the rest of you, my chosen family, my blood family and to all my friends: Thank you for the life we've made.

Comments

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Love you so, so, so, so much.

[leback.livejournal.com]

"Happy birthday" doesn't feel like quite the right sentiment here, but I wish you one nonetheless, and I hope the coming year is easier than this one has been. I hope I'll be in touch with you long enough to wish you many more happy birthdays, because you definitely make *my* world a better place.

Love You Big Bro!

[tracytreefrog.livejournal.com]

SO proud and happy I have been lucky enough to have you in my life for so long looking forward to many many more years big bro!

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! I definitely know what you mean in the first paragraph, and thank you for making the world a better place and being my online friend. May you have a really wonderful year!

[hmms-sio.livejournal.com]

I hope you have a wonderful day and many more to come! 50 isn't that bad - I survived ;)

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

*big hugs* All goofy flirting aside, you really are a wonderful person and I feel very much enriched for knowing you. I hope that this year is much better for you than last year and that the trend continues.

[okoshun.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that the world has improved since you were young. I hope the next year is a better one than the last.

[redbird]

May next year be easier and full of love.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

Yes, there are some hard, hard things about getting older. But I wish you a good birthday and a year of joy and love.

[fightingtiger.livejournal.com]

I hope you have so much Happy Birthday you don't know what to do. And enjoy every finger-lickin part of it.

[sturgeonslawyer.livejournal.com]

That was really lovely put. Congratulations on making it, my fellow '58.

[waywardcats.livejournal.com]

Somehow, I think whatever comes your stubbornness, intelligence and sheer determination will see you through.

Thank you for letting me be a friend. May 2008 be a great year for you and all of your family and friends.

Happy 50th!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're surrounded by love, Guy. Happy birthday.

[dragon3.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday Guy!

I'm also coming up on 50 in a few weeks and I sympathise with your lousy year. Mine has been better, although there have been plenty of low spots.

[clever-doberman.livejournal.com]

welcome to the 50 club. you've earned it.

there's a lot of shit in the world (we have to be happy to vote for one of 2 conservative "democrats"), and even in the balance of things, it doesn't always come out pointing to the good, but the love and intensity of wonderfulness that we can share manages to overshadow a lot of the day-to-day soot.

you are a beacon of love and wonderfulness in my life, I treasure you.