Heartfelt Sentiments

After the surprise of yesterday's blog posting, and after getting over the fact that a picture like the one my daughter posted, existed and was shared with blogland, and after being blessed with an overwhelming amount of birthday wishes...I want to express to each and every one of you, my heartfelt thanks. Your kind and caring words and birthday wishes, were so special to me. I guess turning "55" isn't so bad after all. Thank you Jeane' for that meaningful tribute that you gave to me. As for me, my thoughts on this day, can best be summed up in a brief article I read recently. It is titled "Growing Older" by Dale Evans Rogers. It is sincerely the prayer of my heart as I face the next segment of my life. "Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself, that I am growing older, and will someday be old. Keep me, from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from the craving to try and straighten out everybody's affairs. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details--give me wings to get to the point. I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of other's pains. Help me endure them with patience. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains. They are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint--some of them are so hard to live with--but a sour old woman(or man) is one of the crowning works of the devil. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it; but thou knowest, Lord, I want a few friends in the end. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And give me, Lord, the grace to tell them so." "Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty--they merely move it from their faces into their hearts." Author unknown -picture from "Country Living" magazine.