The Privilege

 I awaken on this beautiful day in full marvel of the beautify of the lives I've been privileged to birth, nurture, guide, and watch blossom.

Today, my older son takes another journey around the sun.

He is all beauty, joy, wonder, and hope.

When he was a little boy, he was always my bubbly, adventurous one. He wanted to discover all the world. He was raring to go, "come on, Mommy!" 

he sent me this pic kid at heart

As an adult, he has kept that sense of wanting to see, discover, and be a part of the world, in all the ways that the world unfolded. There is still a playfulness about him and a deep sense of appreciation for everything he has.

His life has been no crystal stair, like mine, he has had his ups and downs - like all of us who wake up new every morning and rest after a long day of being present, year-after-year is never the same. What remains the same, is a sense of love, a sense of peace, and a sense of joy.

That is my son.

He and I live worlds apart now. I am literally on the other side of the country from him, yet, through the powers of technology, we are as close as a "hi, mom" on our Group Text.

My son is also a great big brother.

in NYC, for his sisters' concert

I watched him develop his appreciation for his younger siblings, and no matter where he was or what he was doing, he made it a point to try to be present in their lives. He was the one who took the girls on their first roller coaster ride, and would always show up, even in little ways.

That is a gift.

He is a gift.

I could write a book on all the ways he blesses me now.  

I look at him, this one who came to me when I pretty much eschewed the thought of being anyone's anything, I was in pursuit of what I thought was going to be my Diane Keaton kind of life. 

He helped me consider all that I could do and still do.

"write your book, Mama, someone needs to hear your story."

He helps me to appreciate new moves.

He is a muse and a motivator.

These are parts of himself he takes into his work as a manager and encourager of others trying to turn their life in another direction.

His trademark, "Hard Times Expire" and the clothing line he developed, as he says, tells more than a story.

We always have another chance, that is the beauty of life.

My seat mate at the probate

Watching my son live that truth and teach that truth is one of the blessings I am thankful to be alive to witness.

Whenever we are together, I can guarantee I will have a coffee buddy and when I am in his town, he introduces me to one little treasure café after another. 

Whenever he comes to visit, like the last time the family was all together for my youngest's daughters probate show, it was a gift for me to see him get up before everyone else to make breakfast and clean up. Yes, I instilled that in him very early and very young in our Chicago days. We are early risers!

I am deeply blessed to be involved in my children's lives. 

I realize it is a privilege.

I treasure it as the gift they have given me.

I am definitely better because of them.

So, world, join me, in celebrating my older son's thirty-ninth journey around the sun, he is all that joy.

©2026. In Vermont lifting up a morning cuppa-joe, in toast of my son.