Life Changes and the Life Cycle
Life Changes and the Life Cycle by Debra H. Goldstein
Lately, my life has been taking a 360 degree turn-around. Some of the changes are wonderful; others, not so much. Any way I look at it, it is quite a ride.
Not only did I pass a special birthday with a month long friends and family celebration, but we’ll be doing it again because this is a special birthday for my husband and anniversary for us. In the past, when we had these five year milestones, I’d throw a big bash. One year, it was taking friends and family to a basketball game, another year was a baseball game where my husband got to throw out the first pitch, and there was the Mexican food with a wild band playing event. For a few years, we celebrated by traveling to far-away-places with a couple we adored, but knew their health issues would limit our time as friends —- we were able to visit Italy, China, and the beach with them — good memories of good people. Perhaps, the best celebration though, was an open house we threw that not only celebrated our milestones, but commemorated the twins graduating high school and introduced our local world to our first grandson, who was three months old.
This year, other than the whirlwind month I’ve just had, we’ve opted to keep things low key and family oriented. The special highlight that we’ll all remember happens tomorrow: our sixth grandchild, the second boy, is coming to town to have his first haircut done by the same person who gave his mother her first haircut. A life cycle event.
Do you have little things like this that reinforce the concept of the life cycle for you?
Congratulations on your special birthdays and anniversaries. In our family we also celebrate 5 and 10 milestones with some special ritual/event/trip. I had a big party for my birthday in February 2020. Family members and friends gathered for a fun-filled weekend, and the next week we were on lockdown for Covid. Everyone remembers my party as their last social engagement before social isolation–a dubious distinction, but a truthful one. Like you, I believe in celebrating. We all have joys and obstacles, but we need to mark our happy occasions with family, friends, and fun.
Funny… The weekend of the lockdown, we gathered for our oldest granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah Shabbat dinner in the Rooftop Room of the Bethesa Hyatt. That was the hotel and our family’s last big event until our son’s rehearsal dinner in that same room.
Congratulations on the birthdays and anniversary! Family traditions add a spice to life. Bob and I usually travel for our birthdays and anniversary, but Covid interfered with that tradition, so we’ve had low key celebrations the last few years, and we’ve invited friends to celebrate with us.
Thank you. Here’s hoping your travels resume soon.
Congrats on the milestones
Congratulations on all your happy events, Debra. It’s wonderful to have so much to celebrate!