today i am 48. a happy 48. i am loved, safe, healthy. and (maybe, finally) understood.
i received a birthday card from my mom and dad yesterday. it was the first sentiment i've received from my parents that felt like true understanding. it refers to (and celebrates) me as a "true original" and "someone who dances to her own beat". this may seem trivial to some, but this 5x8 hallmark card represents forty-eight years of struggle on all our parts: me, a quirky girl with a imaginative mind, daring ideas and endless curiosity, fighting (sometimes literally) to be who she is and them, concerned parents desperately wishing for a more grounded, agreeable and traditional child.
it's the best gift ever: being loved and accepted for who you are.
speaking of birthdays, i am on the faith squared advent calendar with a little nod to another december baby. (it may be later today when it goes live.)
the image above is a shot of rusty belle performing on the charlotteville walking mall on saturday. how much do you love his drum built from scraps, a pan and a baby shoe? and his swanky sunshine shoes? pure joy. i wish you could have heard the music.
