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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Curmudgeons Love Cake Too!



When I close my eyes I feel the same, certainly not 55, or even 45, or 35…I feel like me. Like I’ve always felt. The passage of time is a slippery illusion, for we know that the all-present “now” is what really exists. It’s all that has ever existed. Yet, life has housed me in a body that has somehow been snared by gravity, time’s very real shadow.

Simply put, our bodies were born to die, hence the crow’s feet perched at the corners of my smiling eyes, the stiffness in my knees, and my aversion to amusement park rides that spin…I still love rollercoasters!

Of course why we die is a great mystery to be revealed once we arrive on the other side of the invisible curtain, so while we’re here we philosophize, taking studied guesses at where we’ve come from and where we’re going.

I started where life birthed me, with all the blessings and nightmares of a classic novel, and I moved forward, one blood-churning step at a time. It all seemed so difficult back then, yet there was undeniable beauty there too; breath hitching, all encompassing, nail biting, rapturous beauty. And here I am now, with my life etched on my heart, the hieroglyphics of Leah, the story of a girl, now a woman, but with that same girl’s heart, still walking that bridge through the fog, not knowing what lies on the other side, yet migrating forward under life’s curious spell.



But today is my birthday; a personal holiday of sorts, invented by someone with a cake addiction and an obsession with age. My birthday supposedly marks the passage of time that I’ve spent walking this planet. I feel as though I’m about two thirds of the way over the bridge. Where I’ve been seems so irrelevant to me now, like last Tuesday’s lunch…who can even remember? It’s where I’m going that seems to matter the most to me.

I’m grateful for feet that love to dance, and bifocaled eyes, eager to witness the unfolding of another year. In spite of what our youth-worshipping culture may believe, I still hunger for more of everything: love, adventure, laughter, and knowledge. Age doesn’t dim the light within; it makes life’s rewards so much richer.

I didn’t invent birthdays. Actually, I’d rather forget about marking my years like an old dog peeing on a tree, and if it weren’t culturally expected of me I’d hide in my room until the day was over. Okay, enough of the curmudgeon routine, who am I kidding…I’m a sucker for cake and presents! With that said, Happy Birthday to me! (Donning pointy party hat and blowing feathered noisemaker) It’s my birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






Ageless Dance

The sky is changing moods, blowing calm white rivers into currents over blue, swirling into deep pools, rising against thunderous cliffs and sending the sun into exile.

I skip.

Not really.

But I have a mind to; for the wind is stirring the leaves, who thought their days had ended, yet now they believe themselves to be birds with pointed wings and focused beaks, slicing through the air like eager messengers bound to tell the tales of love.

I long to keep up with them.

But no, I reserve my energy, and watch, as my irrepressible soul twirls down the middle of the road, met by a partner who knows my steps and takes me there.

The world is watching, but no one sees, as I follow barefoot and alive.

Heaven graces us with a tango, bequeathed by wasted poets, teased by love’s eternal flame.

I’m gone.

Dip me now my darling; kiss the white line of my neck.

Your face is masked; your soul stirs me.

Leave me when the morning sings and evening takes his final bow.

Leah Griffith








16 comments:

Kathy said...

Happy Birthday Leah!....you look stunning doing the tango... :roll:

I find the numbers of my own "age" bizarre...and they seem to get more so each year....Actually, they're a number that simply reflects a mundane subtraction problem...today's year minus the year I was born... an attempt to categorize and add meaning to something that perhaps can't be quantified.......well, that's my not-so-humble opinion about the number. Now the richness/fullness/joys/sorrows/depth/meaning...that's what I think counts. Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

Wow. You have the same birthday as Linda!

I wrote her a note today, noting that her age is not a prime number, that it is not easily divisible by much but it nicely fits into thirds. So, it is interesting that you make a reference to thirds in your post, today.

I like this post, a positive, optimistic curmudgeon. But you are what 55 is supposed to look like, feel like and be like. Let the rest of the world follow your youth!

Savira Gupta said...

Happy Birthday Leah... age as you know is just a number... You look beautiful and even more so internally... You have just begun to live and be yourself.....

Leah Griffith said...

Good Morning Kathy, you hit the nail on the head! Yup...just a simple subtraction problem. I had an amazing birthday...had my cake and ate it too;)

Leah Griffith said...

theclarencewhiteblog, thank you for your inspiring post. Linda is amazing and I'm thrilled that we share a birthday!
We are who we are, numbers or not, and what we do is what really matters.
I'm glad you stopped by!
Leah

Leah Griffith said...

Savira, you are so right. Thank you for your kind thoughts. You always inspire me to smile;)

Karen Wojcik Berner said...

Happy belated birthday, Leah. Sorry I missed this yesterday.

I agree --there is so much more to experience and see, especially as we get older and are ready to handle it. I would not want to be in my teens or twenties again. This so-called "middle age" is pretty okay after all.

Cheers to you, my blog friend, and the best of everything in the coming year.

Marie from Rock The Kasbah said...

Happy Birthday! And I argue, you were born to write...

Brooke said...

Happy Birthday! What a beautiful post to celebrate you. You are such a wise and precious soul. I feel the richness of you, and I feel the ground under my feet that much more. Thank you and sending love.

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Karen, and I totally agree...I wouldn't trade in my fifties for anything. I worked hard to get this far!!

Leah Griffith said...

Marie, I have to agree...it takes one to know one;)

Leah Griffith said...

Brooke, you always bring such brightness when you visit. I love that about you!

Irene said...

What a beautiful birthday post, Leah! It shows so much wisdom you gained through the years! Belated Happy Birthday! :-)

Jodi Chapman said...

Another beautiful and inspiring post, Leah! I am beyond grateful that we are a part of the same journey - putting one step in front of the other, having faith that where we are going is exactly where we are meant to be.
So much love to you.

The Poet said...

Hello.
Sorry I'm late in getting round to your post.
Belated birthday wishes to you & congratulations on your debut novel!

I say we were born stupid & gain wisdom, understanding & knowledge through maturity. Life is a journey all of us have to take. It begins with our birth & ends with our death. It's up to each one of us to make that journey as enjoyable as possible. Don't fret over the things we have no control over. Life is a precious gift & we should enjoy every minute of it, because it can be cut short in a heartbeat.

You have a great attitude towards life Leah. May the rest of your years always be joyous ones.
I love to dance & that Latin video is hot!
Thanks for sharing & visiting. I appreciate your comment. Feel free to stop by anytime. You'll always find romance in my little corner. (smile). BTW, I too am a sucker for cake...chocolate cake with lots of fudge sauce (LOL)!!

For ref:
Violins Of Love

Leah Griffith said...

Andy, thank you for your birthday wishes...and the violins on your post today...so romantic.
I love what you said "Don't fret over the things we have no control over. Life is a precious gift & we should enjoy every minute of it, because it can be cut short in a heartbeat."
Man, is that true! I try to remind myself of this on a daily basis.
I'm almost done with my birthday cake. I'll eat the last piece tomorrow. I'm pretty sure my blood has turned to chocolate syrup by now;)

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