Bzzzt, bzzzt! Bzzzt, bzzzt! Bzzzt, bzzzt!
I muster every ounce of alertness I can through my sleep-ridden daze and pick up my phone. It’s 7:06 am. And it’s my birthday.
“So much for sleeping in today!” I laugh. But there’s certainly no irritation to be found (mostly surprise — the kind you feel when you wake suddenly from a deep sleep). How could I be annoyed by such a special phone call? One that feels ever more precious with each passing year.
My husband’s grandparents are calling to sing me happy birthday, just like my late grandparents used to (and because I’m lucky and incredibly loved, my Grammy, my only living grandparent, still does).
I didn’t answer the 7:06 am call, but I eagerly called back as soon as I got out of bed. And just like they do every year, my husband’s grandparents sang me happy birthday with a big ol’ “And many, many more!” at the end.
When they call, my heart swells. I do everything in my power to soak in the 30 seconds the song takes. Because with each passing year, I know the number of phone calls like this I’ll receive shrinks.
And although I haven’t told them, they’ve filled a hole on my birthday that my grandparents left behind with their simple act of love. One I’ll never be able to repay them for, and one that I know I will sorely miss someday.
All good things in life really do come to an end, don’t they? But perhaps, until then, we can find it in ourselves to enjoy the most cherished moments of our days, no matter how small, just a touch more. That’s my birthday wish this year.
The Birthday Paradox by Russell Samora on The Pudding
How to Make Birthdays Feel More Magical on Feeling! Magazine by Jenna O’Brien
A Man Biked Across the US in 1979 With a Stranger He Met Through a Newspaper Ad — 45 Years Later, They Reconnected on Nice News by Rebekah Brandes
Lives that will never be devoid of the grief and loss we feel for those that are gone, but always balanced with the love and support of those still with us.
I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is TIME INTENTIONAL, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally in honor of Janet, Dale, and John.
Read more about the meaning and memories behind each section of the newsletter!
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