Simple.
Sweet.
Sumptuous.
Surprising.
An 80th birthday celebration.

Simple.
When she who asks for little
Articulated her birthday wish –
Dinner with her children –
We simply gathered with glee.

Sweet.
Four Seas mocha chip ice cream, and
Four kids from the corners of the country, and
Four main courses cooked up by Chuck, And then Mom held
Forth on sweet lessons
For her descendants
For us to ponder as we go
Forth in our lives.

Sumptuous.
We ate.
We drank.
We were satisfied.
We gathered to bless her, but
Mom blessed us instead
With a lesson from her lifetime.
She said:

“I hope that each of you will appreciate
How great you all are.
And don’t wait until you are 80.
It took me a long time to realize
That I’m not a bad person.
I’ve done well and
I’m pleased with myself and
Where I am and …
I want that for all of you.”

Surprising.
That she (too) felt not quite good enough
That she (too) struggled within
That this
Wise woman,
Loving mother,
Competent caring,
Accomplished leader
Struggled with self-worth.
But at 80
She had finally figured out
That it wasn’t in the determinations of others
That made a life worthy of living,
But by jettisoning the judgments of others
That we can find the
Truth of our worthiness
Within.

Mom turned 80 yesterday
It was
Simple.
Sweet.
Sumptuous.
Surprising.
As this 80 year old
Gifted her grandchildren
A timeless truth.