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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Before and After (05/14/09)
Many adults try to ignore birthdays as they get older; the popular thirty nine is recycled and falsely reported! They demand that no parties or gifts should be given. It is just like any other day, or so they lead us to believe.


Growing up, birthdays and all holidays were celebrated in our home! We were not showered with expensive gifts or elaborate birthday parties; but we knew it was our special day! I have very early memories of my mother decorating my birthday cake with white icing and maraschino cherries topping.


When our family grew into adults and scattered, Mom would send us a birthday package with special articles that she gathered all year long. We all remember those large boxes taped, and re-taped by our Dad with duct tape! As an adult, one year while visiting my parents on my birthday; she recreated my early birthday cake memories!


I still feel like a little girl on my birthday, six times ten! It is a lonely day though, no more birthday packages in the mail from my parents, and no birthday telephone greeting. I miss both of them; though they are no longer living, their love lives on. Last year I held within my hands a birthday surprise…


Organization is not one of my strong points. My husband I are opposites in many ways; but clutter keeps us together! We sold a two drawer nightstand table; and I emptied the paperwork contents in a big plastic bag, to sort when I “got around to it.”


Well, I put off the dreaded chore for a long time. Finally, a few days before my birthday I sat down on the floor with the bag and began sorting. I discovered a birthday card from my father,given a few years before when he lived in a nursing home. I am not normally very emotional; I bottle up emotions, instead of freeing them with tears. I began to get choked up, opened the pretty card and read the verse. It was signed by my father with the tremors of Parkinson’s disease. It could have not been more beautiful than calligraphy script!


I knew my oldest sister; Donna who died a few years after Dad, picked out the card, took it to the nursing home, and asked him to sign his name. That only increased the value of the card! In my hands, sitting Indian style on the floor, years after their deaths, I held an expression of love from both of them.


My emotions continued to build.
Inside the card, I noticed a small credit card sized poem, (American Greetings- author not given):
“Daughter,
Today and always, please know that I see you. I see the path you’ve made that’s all your own. I see the many unique talents and gifts you have to share. I see your brilliance, your enthusiasm, and how deeply you care and hurt sometimes. I see your hard- earned wisdom, your soft pure innocence, your courage and compassion, your unconditional goodness. I see what a difference you make in this world, and I hope you know how very much I love you, and how proud I’ll always be to have a daughter as wonderful as you.”


The birthday card and smaller poem card were displayed with the others I received last year. Remembrances from family and friends brightened my day; but none before could compare with the one from my dad. After decades, I felt like “Daddy’s little girl” again.


My parents would be proud of my new writing ministry. Mom wrote beautiful poetry and as secretary of community groups, she enjoyed the opportunity to write up the newspaper articles for club announcements. In the year 1949 our home celebrated the arrival of a 4 pounds 15 ounce premature baby daughter. Now, I rejoice in another year and give thanks for my parents who gave me life.


My spiritual birthday came eighteen years after the first. The date that I was born again, falls in October; and I give thanks to Jesus for His bountiful gift of eternal abundant life!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Sara Harricharan
05/21/09
lovely memories! Finding a card from someone who cares is often always a strong emotional boost and enough of a reason to keep on smiling through tears. Thanks for sharing!
Janice Fitzpatrick
05/22/09
How tender and true to emotion for the past and present cirumstances of aging, appreciation, and losing loved ones. I have many of those same memories of beautiful cards from loved ones. Unfortunately I was denied access to most of the actual cards themeselves, when I went through a divorce years ago. :0( That still hurts sometimes as many of them were from my mom, a well loved aunt and grandma who are gone now to be with the Lord.
Yet,it made me appreciate the prescious memories I had and still have of the ones who took the time to be senders of such love and beauty.
Keep on writing. Hugs. God bless. Happy Birthday and my best wishes for another 60 years.:0)I'm right behind you in this aging process.:0)
Avigail David
05/22/09
First of all, have a joyous 60th birthday serving and loving our dear Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ through the gift of writing He has given you. I believe He will endow you more with opportunities to teach the younger women, like me, as specifically taught us in Titus 2 and from God's precious Word.

Secondly, thank you for sharing your article "Six Times Ten". I am very blessed by it.

I would like to be faithful in creating loving, tender, kind and Godly memories of my Saviour Jesus Christ thru me in my family as I draw near to our glorious eternal Home.

God bless you!

Emily Gibson
05/23/09
Happy 60th and you are well on your way to reaching others through your writing. very nice work!
Amy Edwards
05/23/09
Beautiful memories! It is the meaning behind stories like this that touch many lives. Thank you for sharing!
Genia Gilbert
05/24/09
From someone who has passed six times ten a little while back, I see your meaning. Birthdays are truly a time to let people know they are special to us and to God. I am still trying to do this with children and grandchildren, though their hectic schedules make it harder and harder. Thanks for sharing your memories!