Look at which of these birthdays you actually stall on. The call to your father at 39, when you'd caught up to his age. At 30 somebody just hands you a four-day-old and that's it, you're done. Your son's card about the full deck. Even the 13th, the one day the whole room turns up and hands the kid the Torah before adolescence hands him the bill for being a grown-up. The 65th you didn't even bother to tell, you just pointed at Medicare and kept walking. Your whole list of milestones runs downhill, Don, and yet every time you go to prove your point you reach for a story with somebody else sitting in it, not you. And that "radical amazement" in the very first line, you didn't drop it in for decoration, did you. Heschel moved into your head early and never left.
Anyway, hope somebody put the damn cupcake on the table where you were signing books. This time so you can actually eat it, not wear it.
Vance, thank you for the most comprehensive literary criticism of the year (to date). It's always refreshing to see what I write in a fresh perspective.
"Literary criticism" is too kind, Don. I read it twice and got stuck on the kid with the cake, couldn't tell you a thing about the prose. Happy birthday, late. Jody's grandmother had the better card and you know it.
I recently celebrated my 72nd birthday.....and since my wife was in Madrid (I opted not to go) I chose to celebrate it alone with our two dogs. They made the appropriate amount of fuss and avoided an encounter with a porcupine ( a real gift). My dad celebrated his 95th last week and he bemoans the loss of friends which is one of the big things that hits closer to home as we age. I think we get to call the shots once we reach a certain age......that used to seem incomprehensible but now is just the next step. I remember when my mom turned 40 ( I was 19) and I thought her ancient. Keep on writing.....
Celebrate the little things, like the wonderful feeling when a 20 (30, 40))-someone comes into the room and says, "I forgot why I came in here" . THAT'S worth celebrating to me!!
You should think of your age as chronologically gifted. When I reached 80 it felt like a relief. I can no longer deny that I’m old. Not all people make it this far, and there’s still a lot of living to do. If you don’t include your ailing body, life remains good. At 80, I’m ready to put aside what’s expected of me and just do, be, dress and act like I want. It’s freeing!
Those sixtieth birthday parties with the obligatory coffin, black balloons, and gifts of Depends could be dropped, for certain. It’s bad enough we mature citizens get targeted ads about cremation services, memory care facilities, free government roofs for our homes, social security scams, and cute little VW microbus walkers.
I have always made a big deal of birthdays--it's the one day (aside from a bar or bat mitzvah) that's truly one's own. And getting older is an accomplishment and a privilege--certainly worth celebrating! It sounds like your "party" was fun and fulfilling, so happy belated!
The voting and drinking age was 18 for me, not 21. My grandmother sent me a card that said, "When you run out of things to drink to, drink to excess."
A truly inspiring message!
Look at which of these birthdays you actually stall on. The call to your father at 39, when you'd caught up to his age. At 30 somebody just hands you a four-day-old and that's it, you're done. Your son's card about the full deck. Even the 13th, the one day the whole room turns up and hands the kid the Torah before adolescence hands him the bill for being a grown-up. The 65th you didn't even bother to tell, you just pointed at Medicare and kept walking. Your whole list of milestones runs downhill, Don, and yet every time you go to prove your point you reach for a story with somebody else sitting in it, not you. And that "radical amazement" in the very first line, you didn't drop it in for decoration, did you. Heschel moved into your head early and never left.
Anyway, hope somebody put the damn cupcake on the table where you were signing books. This time so you can actually eat it, not wear it.
Vance, thank you for the most comprehensive literary criticism of the year (to date). It's always refreshing to see what I write in a fresh perspective.
"Literary criticism" is too kind, Don. I read it twice and got stuck on the kid with the cake, couldn't tell you a thing about the prose. Happy birthday, late. Jody's grandmother had the better card and you know it.
A very Don (and therefore wonderful) column. May you continue to make us and yourself laugh!
I recently celebrated my 72nd birthday.....and since my wife was in Madrid (I opted not to go) I chose to celebrate it alone with our two dogs. They made the appropriate amount of fuss and avoided an encounter with a porcupine ( a real gift). My dad celebrated his 95th last week and he bemoans the loss of friends which is one of the big things that hits closer to home as we age. I think we get to call the shots once we reach a certain age......that used to seem incomprehensible but now is just the next step. I remember when my mom turned 40 ( I was 19) and I thought her ancient. Keep on writing.....
Celebrate the little things, like the wonderful feeling when a 20 (30, 40))-someone comes into the room and says, "I forgot why I came in here" . THAT'S worth celebrating to me!!
You should think of your age as chronologically gifted. When I reached 80 it felt like a relief. I can no longer deny that I’m old. Not all people make it this far, and there’s still a lot of living to do. If you don’t include your ailing body, life remains good. At 80, I’m ready to put aside what’s expected of me and just do, be, dress and act like I want. It’s freeing!
Well said ! Great perspective.
Those sixtieth birthday parties with the obligatory coffin, black balloons, and gifts of Depends could be dropped, for certain. It’s bad enough we mature citizens get targeted ads about cremation services, memory care facilities, free government roofs for our homes, social security scams, and cute little VW microbus walkers.
I have always made a big deal of birthdays--it's the one day (aside from a bar or bat mitzvah) that's truly one's own. And getting older is an accomplishment and a privilege--certainly worth celebrating! It sounds like your "party" was fun and fulfilling, so happy belated!
Happy Birthday! You gave me a chance to reflect on certain memorable ones of my own - thanks!
Life gets better after 75. Keep going!
l will!
Perfect
Great piece. Happy birthday. Maybe pretend you’re 21 but smarter and test a boundary?
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday Don.
Spot on and well done. I got my kick into Route 66 a couple of months ago. A weird sentence indeed.