I woke up this morning and found a card at my place at the kitchen table. I know my husband, the Manly Spouse, spent some time at the card aisle picking out the very best one. He does that; it's one of the many things I love about him. He always asks me what I want for my birthday, then stresses about it. Really. I already have everything I need, so what do I want?
Okay, here's the list:
I want to retire. With health insurance. So I can play in my little "garden" (without any back pain!). Then to eat from the bounty that grows there.
I want to be thin....maybe. I've been thin, it's not that big of a deal really, so maybe scratch that one off the list.
I want to watch my children and grandchildren live happy, contented lives.
I want to stay healthy for as long as I have left to live, then die as cheerfully and as gracefully as my mother did.
My mother used to answer the "what do you want for..." question with, "Diamond Earrings!" Then one year, for christmas I think, she got a pair. That shut her up. After that the ubiquitous answer was, "a kiss and a hug."
You can't have too many of those.
Speaking of my mother, I would like to spend another day with her, listening to the stories she told about her life.
I'd like to spend another evening with my father, sitting quietly, feeling his calm presence.
A million winning lottery tickets will not buy any of these things, nor will they buy what I already have: a loving spouse, a roof and a bed, and a patch of green with tomatoes and eggplants growing and growing, health, and a cheerful disposition.
I already have everything I need, and life is really good.
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Location:Omaha, USA
