On Birthday’s – Part II

A Golfer’s Paradise

“Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years.”
– Ausonius

Birthday’s are those once-in-a-year times where time just kind of lingers and seems to stand still for a brief moment in time. It’s in these times where a person gets to reflect on what the past year held for them, whereby creating an internal survey of what went well and what could be done better, as well as those events we are glad are over and those one’s that were truly sensational for us. It’s these memories that are worth going through, in reflection, as we realize just how much and all that has transpired for us in the past year, leading up to the official day of our day of birth. We remember all the ups and downs, and sideways one’s too, and are amazed and grateful for each experience as they taught us a little bit more about ourselves and our place in this grand narrative that we call life – all in a year’s time.

At the same time, we are glancing ahead towards the next year, a brand “new one,” as Lennon sings about, and what it may bring for us. It’s like there is a brand new canvas in front of us. It’s just white, with no colour’s or writing’s or event’s or description’s or revealing’s – just a blank sheet of an artist board waiting for new life, and all the assortment of colour’s, to be splashed upon its blank sheet. This dry canvas waits for what it is to be revealed in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead. Then, exactly one year from now the subject for whom this painting was commissioned for can again reflect on and draw upon everything that this upcoming year had in store.

“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.”
– Voltaire

It is in this phase of forward-looking where we often have high hopes for what the next year may bring as well as those dreams and desires in our heart’s that we would like to see a completion stamp marked on them. It’s like the last few day’s of a school year when we were in Middle School. Everyone knows those last few “mandatory” school days require attendance, yet at the same time, not much that is productive in teaching or learning will really get done. Then, the last day of school arrives and it is always a blast waking up the next day knowing that summer vacation has finally arrived and will be in full swing for the next two entire months!