Social Security Age

Happy Birthday to me, I’ve reached social security age.

And it’s weird. The whole birthday concept is crazy, but hard to ignore that it’s ‘your’ day.

I headed out to visit Mom yesterday because it should be a bigger day for her! 

She did all the work!

So, I bought her a few gifts, and asked her what she was doing 62 years ago.

“I don’t remember,” she said.

So, I did a little remembering on the way home.

My 8th birthday, Mom handed me my copy of Wilt Chamberlain’s autobiography. I can vividly recall her handing that to me before school.

It’s a humongous book, and I still have it.

My 10th birthday was the infamous Little Loop Football game. I rode the bench, and we had an away game in the wind and the cold. I didn’t want to go, but Mom made me, and for the first time all year the coaches put me in the game.

I picked off a pass, got tackled, fumbled, and laid in the grass as a kid on the other team scooped up the fumble and took it to the house.

I can still taste the dirt.

On my 13th birthday, Reggie homered 3 times to clinch the ‘77 World Series.

I thought he did it for me.

My 18th birthday was at college, and I was homesick. My college roommate made me a homemade card with a beautiful woman on page 1 - “This is Edith.”

On page 2 he hand-drew a cake - “This is your cake.”

Page 3 said: “You can have your cake and Edith too.”

I still have that card.

At 35, my son, Jake, handed me a rock from the driveway.

“Happy Birthday, Dad!”

I looked at the rock as Kathy said, “He polished it all morning.”

Greatest gift I’ve ever received.

I still have it and carry it with me.

At 50, we headed to a resort for hot tub and fine dining, and I was impressed that Kathy set it all up.

She just didn’t bring any money or her credit card, so I had to pay.

She swears it was a mistake.

And, here we are at 62.

I don’t know what to do with the rest of my days.

We’ve had ten years of absolute stupidity and chaos, and all of America is suffering with the delicate balance, knowing that our Democracy is being threatened.

I headed out and paid a lot of money for some high end fine dining around here.

The boys are coming by.

“You can cook whatever you want,” Kathy mentioned.

She’s too good to me.

I’ll play a round of golf too.

Blessed to be able to do that each week.

Happy Birthday to me.