A Happy Birthday, to Two of the Best

On this day, March 25, my father and grandmother share a birthday. Dad is 53; Grandma is 91.

(I can't allow the above sentence stand alone without adding that not only is Grandma 91-- she lives and functions totally on her own, as she has been for the past 25 years. Her secret? I'm convinced it has something to do with daily crossword puzzles and Smart Balance cheese slices, and can only hope that I'll be blessed with a life that's just as long and healthy.)

As a child, I just couldn't fathom the concept of having to share a birthday with a parent or sibling. To my understanding, a birthday was essentially a free pass for all eyes to be on you and you alone-- a day that should be milked for all its worth in terms of presents, toys, sweets, hugs, kisses, etc. In comparison to such an intensely special All-About-Me Day, who could ever settle for All-About-Us?

Of course, I didn't quite take hold of the fact that my father had no say in the matter regarding what day he should be born on. For him, sharing his birthday with my grandmother was simply the way things were, a day that wasn't any less special. And for her, of course, my father was the ultimate birthday gift. I, for one, cannot imagine the physical act of giving birth on one's birthday, but not everyone can exchange candles and cake for a hospital room like my grandmother did.

It's hard to articulate in words what two of the most important people in my life mean to me without getting too sappy. My thoughts almost instantly turn to childhood. You can tell a grandmother loves you when she's willing to knit clothes for your stuffed animals, including a full winter outfit for Hoppy the rabbit: sweater, hat, scarf, and legwarmers (only the scarf remains). And somehow, my father made group trips to the library with my brothers just as fun as getting a push from him on the tire swing at Neck Road Park. Who knows where this blogger would be if that love of literature hadn't been cultivated so early with Spot the Dog books?

It's impossible to tell, but one thing's for sure: without them, there'd be no me.

Happy birthday, Dad & Grandma.