Today is one of my friend’s birthdays. It’s another’s half birthday. And it’s yet another’s 2/3 birthday.
Don’t ask me why I do this, because I don’t know, but I wish two of these friends a happy whatever-fraction-it-is birthday every 27th of the month.
I always get excited when I realize it’s the 27th. I find myself calculating and reducing fractions, usually first thing in the morning, and sending happy whatever-fraction-it-is birthday to my friends. They always smile and say thank you in response. Sometimes we chat for a few minutes. Sometimes they write me on my whatever-fraction-it-is birthday, and I smile and thank them in return. It’s a nice little exchange. And it’s something so very, very simple…
I’ve been doing okay with thoughts of returning to school. Even though mostly everything is uncertain—including what I’ll be teaching and in what space I’ll be teaching it—I’ve been practicing being present in these moments rather than letting the uncertainty take control of me. But this morning, while texting a friend, I broke down and cried at the overwhelming nature of it all.
And then I remembered that it’s the 27th. I smiled. It’s a friend’s birthday. It’s another friend’s half birthday. It’s another friend’s 2/3 birthday. There is reason for celebration today.
Don’t worry. I didn’t deny my tears. I let them flow until they were ready to stop. I fully felt the angst that I was feeling. But then I tried to do what scripture asks us to do: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Friends: May you find reason to celebrate today. And may you start wishing your people happy whatever-fraction-it-is birthday. Everyone needs to know that they are cause for celebration at different points throughout the year…because sometimes, a lot of times, the people in our lives are the biggest reasons we have to give thanks. Give thanks today, friends. Amen. And amen.
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