What Are Eves All About?

My sons, almost two and four--1973

My sons were born on the same day, two years apart. It was nothing planned, but it happened. I thought it was delightful, but my sons have always expressed that being born on the same day was a PIA because they weren't anything special, like twins. They couldn't claim that bonding that twins seem to have. No, they were just born on the same day. 

They also grumbled they had to share a birthday. Always had to share a birthday. Never were they special on their own special day. I tried to change it up for them by making two cakes, serving their special foods. I even tried to celebrate their birthdays separately--one on the day before and one on the day after the real day. Nothing worked and they both couldn't care less about their birthday.

Genny, Richard, Robert, Ruth--abt 1923

My dad and Aunt Ruth were twins. Their birthday was December 29, 1920. They loved being twins for the most part, especially Aunt Ruth. But there was a blight in their lives.... Every Christmas under the tree was a present for their older sister, their older brother, and one for them. It was addressed as "To Ruth and Richard, Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday!" They were never happy that they had to share a gift with one another AND share it between Christmas and birthdays. Aunt Ruth continued to grumble about this fact until she died at age 99. I told my sons this and they said, "Yeah, but at least they were twins!" *sigh*

Patty and Me--1952

To me, birthdays are delicious. I like to celebrate my birthday for at least a week. I love the specialness of my day, the day I was born :) I like to walk around like I am some special person, flaunting my day, flaunting my being, my birth. I like to have my family over and have a barbecue out on the lawn. I like flowers and balloons and gaiety. 

One blight to my birthday is that it is in the summer, albeit it is summer, the best time of the year. You know, three months of vacation, sun shining until late in the evening, playing Hide-and-Seek-After-Dark. The problem is that I couldn't have my birthday celebrated in my elementary class. You might remember those happy school days when moms would bring cupcakes for the class and in the afternoon we celebrated that kid's special day. And if I had a party--we rarely had parties. One at six years old, one at 10 maybe, one at 16--it wasn't easy to invite the other kids over. Especially since we lived down in the Boondocks.

But I love birthdays. Everyone's birthday! I love the celebration. And sitting here on my Birthday Eve, I am recalling all the years before. Memories of when I was young. Memories of when my kids were young. Memories of about birthdays during a pandemic. 

That's what Eves are all about--memories and laughter and heart-warming biding of time until the true day of celebration.

And so it goes~~~
peace