Just another birthday

I gave Ms. Moore a birthday card with a little girl holding a dodgeball on the front--with the inside saying "live dangerously on your birthday". Ms. Moore is one of my best friends, neighbors, and as we call each other "adoptive family".

I couldn't have imagined a better card for Ms. Moore...one that would make her laugh--but convey how bold and courageous she is--on top of her good sense of humor. I picked it up a few weeks ago in time for Ms. Moore's real 92nd birthday, but decided to hang on to it till we could all really celebrate.

The whole day was a pretty special one. When Eric and I went to pick up Ms Moore she had graciously gotten us two sweet belated birthday gifts--and we gave her the photos from our trip to Tanzania that she had liked so much.

This year Ms. Moore said she wanted something more low-key and inclusive, so she said it was a June-September birthday party. So we had two of Ms. Moore's cousins Minnie and Charles, Ms. Reese, Eric, myself, and Ms. Moore's sister, Minnerva. Plus, she picked 5 Seasons because she had been scoping it out for sometime.

As we drove to 5 Seasons, Ms. Reese couldn't stop talking about how much the west side had changed. How she barely recognized the restored buildings, new restaurants, and high-end shopping in the area. After living in Atlanta for over 30 years, she continues to admire and be surprised by all the changes that come up and surround her.

She recently moved into a new senior-high rise just east of downtown, although she loves it, she misses the neighborhood. It is a treat for her to get to come back over to the west side and see what is happening. For Ms. Moore, she prefers to stay in the neighborhood and never wants to leave. It is a scary thought to think about having to move out someday and live in a high rise away from where she knows.

When we got to 5 Seasons for dinner we sat down in the mostly vacant upstairs and tried to decipher the best thing to get on a pretty stellar menu. As we oohed and ahhed about the menu and what was best we placed our orders, we started sharing stories.

Minnie and Charles told us the story of how they met, how Charles grew up with Ms. Moore, and how on Palmetto Street every neighbor to the right of each others' house, had a key to their neighbors house. He reminisced about how beautiful the street was and how great the neighbors were.

We talked a lot about Ms. Moore's mother, Ora Lee. How she was such a strong woman. We heard stories of how Charles and Minnie met and got married, how Minerva knew that Charles was going to Marry Minnie when he let her drive the 55 Chevy, and everyone went around and gave us marital advice that their grandparents and parents had passed on to them.

Minnie said, "Always do right by you". That is what her grandmother told her, and that has worked since her and Charles said I do.

Charles teased about how the pastor who married them asked him if he was willing to pay and take care of his wife, from hair cuts to clothes. He laughed about how as a bachelor he had never thought about those types of expenses before. So he teasingly encouraged Eric to "think".



Ms. Moore laughed about when Eric first came to the house and how she prayed for us. And Ms. Reese laughingly added how she knew she needed to start looking for dresses for the wedding right away.

It was so special to hear about their family histories, hear them all remember what it was like coming up together. And also to just listen and be thought for and prayed for. I was so grateful to sit there and be welcomed into their family and be treated like a Moore. Incorporated into their family history, almost like being told of your history by your grandparents, because they want you to know where you came from.

I admire that so much about them. How much they know about their grandparents' parents, how much they know about their 2nd and 3rd cousins, and how they preserve and remind each other of where they came from and who they are, so frequently. That they all go to church together, bring plates to each other, and are up for family time--all the time.

I can't really sum-up into words how special the dinner was. How special all the times I spend with neighbors, and specifically Ms. Moore and Ms. Reese are. There is something about taking time to be in relationships with them that reminds me of the gospel, reminds me not to rush around, reminds me to enjoy, be patient, get rest and the value of peaceful humility.

As we went around the table, each person shared their birthday wish to be "happy and healthy" and Ms. Moore quietly said she wanted "Just another birthday.'"

I keep thinking about this, how momentary my wishes and requests are...how fleeting the things that I want are, and how I hope to grow and think more about the eternal and stress out less about the the next deadline, stress about wanting to see change, about what will happen in the future, and if I will catch the train on time, find a parking place, and some how "make something of myself."

I think God certainly cares about the miniscule things of daily details--but I also fee encouraged to think beyond them, to practice being grateful, and not get caught up in asking God for the new idea I had about how he could make my life easier.

Here goes nothing...