Michael, that Gentlest of Readers responded to my plea for inspiration thusly: Tell me a story about anniversaries, please.
Gentle Readers will be aware that I am attached to annual remembrances and observances. Today, for instance, is Flag Day, and am letting my freak flag fly. Ahem. No, that’s not right. I am proudly flying my American flag, off the white porch of our small-town house. Really, I am.
Michael was, however, asking about more personal anniversaries, I think. My own preference for observing anniversaries, whether natal, nuptial or national, is to take stock of the year that has past since the last time. Was it a good year? Did the gains balance out the losses? Am I a better man than I was last year? Can the losses be regained, at least in memory? Or can they be put behind me? Can the gains be exploited, celebrated, repeated?
If this sounds a bit somber, well, in fact I tend to take my anniversaries a bit somber. Time passes. Listen! Time passes. I’ve been out of college fifteen years. I have friends and relatives who will no longer call on my birthday, and I will have more. My Perfect Non-Reader is no longer a baby.
And, of course, time passes. One old buddy recently noted in his blog that it had been half his life, now, since he met the woman who is now his wife; it’s more than half my life that I’ve known my Best Reader. My Perfect Non-Reader can read. I have new friends (and Gentle Readers). I accumulate good memories. And so far, each new anniversary, birthday, holiday has found me alive. And that’s a good thing.
chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek,
-Vardibidian.