Happy Birthday USA & Old Glory!
Volume: A Loud “Celebrate” by Kool and the Gang
Issue: Carpe Diem
Date: July 4, 2021
“You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.”
—Bob Hope
Happy Birthday USA & Old Glory!
The USA celebrates its 245th birthday this year. The flag was first called “Old Glory” when Capt. Wm. Driver received a US flag on his 21st birthday in 1824 and flew what he termed “Old Glory” for many years at sea.
As Boomers, we can often identify with OLD GLORY...sometimes feeling old and sometimes feeling glorious ourselves!
I Feel Old when I don’t know who the bejezus are the musical guests on SNL.. I Feel Glorious when I listen to Boomer top 40 tunes and reminisce about dancing with my then latest crush in the high school gym.
I Feel Old when my children and grandchildren study “The 60s” or “The 70s” in their history books…I Feel Glorious when I share my own stories about my bellbottom pants, The Monkey, and protest marches in younger days!
I Feel Old when I hear “Tik Tok” and think of that black wall-hanging cat clock where the tail swings back and forth while the eyes go side to side… I Feel Glorious when “TikTok” reminds there are still Tiks left in my Tok and I share cherished time with my beloveds!
I Feel Old when I stop to gas up my car myself and reminisce about when a lively teen used to run to pump my gas, wipe my windshield and ask if I wanted my oil checked... I Feel Glorious when I have my lively, sexy aging Boomer Buddy pump me up and help me get my oil going!
I Feel Old when I remember when gas was 32 cents a gallon... I Feel Glorious when I talk to anyone under 40 and they actually listen when I put my 2 cents into the discussion.
I Feel Old when my wrinkled hands look the way my mother’s hands looked when she was old... I Feel Glorious when my hands pat the cheeks of those I love.
I Feel Old when I have six prunes every morning with my breakfast to “stay regular”... I Feel Glorious when I don’t have to focus on hard shit!
I Feel Old when I hear that Beverly Cleary died... I Feel Glorious when I recall how Henry, Ribsy, and Ramona Quimby helped my “big” little kid problems seem okay.
I Feel Old when another email arrives reporting who died from our high school class... I Feel Glorious remembering the shared french fries with gravy, boy crushes, zit worries, and future dreams.
I Feel Old when I look at the candle numbers on my birthday cake... I Feel Glorious that the cake and candles keep coming and that the fire to stay in love with life still burns in my heart.
I Feel Old when I think of my age as a number… I Feel Glorious when I feel I am the kind of woman that, when my feet hit the floor each day, the Devil says, “Oh, crap, she’s up!”
So let the fireworks begin! And have a GLORIOUS 4th!
Sending healing and hugs,
Irene