Every year I share my birthday celebration with
my grandson Kieran.
It is usually a fun filled weekend at the cabin in Truckee
and at least one day at the beach
at Donner Lake.
This year my heart has been broken in a million little pieces
and it has been hard to find joy
when my chest is clogged with sadness and pain.
It makes it hard to breath and swallow.
So it is the little things I am clinging to.
It is in these faces that I find hope.
It is opening up the possibility that
my grandchildren
will have a life
not necessarily free of challenges
but
a life built upon the critical skills to navigate choices
with clarity and the long term consequences of their actions.
But for now
summers are snow cones and Skittles
and summer days
filled with family and friends
and the biggest decisions are
PB & J or just J
And even though I didn't have the photo card in my camera
while I took careful and plentiful pictures of Kienan's birthday celebration
I did at least figure it out in time to capture some of the lake fun.
And to remember that for some children
life is a joyful celebration.
