I believe that every birthday is a milestone. Birthday milestones shouldn’t be measured only in terms of getting drivers licenses, reaching legal age or even decades. In fact, every single day of our life provides a milestone.

As a young child, I recall many a birthday party celebrated at my home on Brock Street. A half dozen or so friends would come over. We’d play pin the tail on the donkey, the lifesaver game and lotto. We’d sing songs and play with dolls. My mom was an excellent baker and a creative cake decorator. Homemade zoo animal cookies would often adorn these cakes and I always looked forward to these treats.

I have vivid memories of my sweet sixteen. My mother made an afternoon tea for me, complete with party sandwiches and two cakes…………one cake the number one and one the number six. This time it was a Jeannie’s cake as approximately fifty friends filled the house.

And then there was a blur of  birthdays until the one in 1981. That was my first birthday as a mother. And it was awesome having my baby accompany us on the traditional dinner out.

Unfortunately not all birthday memories were happy ones. In 1996 my mom had gone in for knee replacement surgery. She was supposed to come home on my birthday. Instead, she wound up in ICU that day and passed away five weeks later. 

For several years after, it was a struggle to celebrate my birthday. We’d go out for dinner, but I always felt that cloud hanging over me. Over time that cloud began to lift and I found myself in cities such as Culiacan, Guadalajara and Mazatlan on my birthday.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine celebrating my 65th in a small town in Washington. But here I am, far away from the flat prairies of Manitoba. And I wonder where I will be next year at this time, because every birthday is a milestone.