becoming 60 (lyn)

It’s 4pm (no exaggeration) before I eat a thing.

Between phone calls, and emails, and Facebook well-wishers, I find myself smiling all day.  It’s nice to be remembered by so many.  I am glad I made no plans for the day. 

Meredith sent me flowers yesterday.  Gorgeous white roses with daisies. 

And today, an arrangement of hydrangeas and roses arrives from Vivien.  Also in white.  It's as if these two good friends who don’t know each other had coordinated their orders.  Even my apartment looks happy.

At 4:30, I finally sit down and open my cards.  A generous gift from my parents.  An Apple gift card from Hazel.  And many kind words and creative photos.  I think 60 must really sound bad, as I don’t think I’ve gotten this much attention and kindness for any birthday, ever.

Alexander surprises me and comes home from school saying he’ll be able to join Valerie and me for dinner. He has a big math test tomorrow but decides he probably won’t do well, so, “I may as well go out and not do well versus stay at home and still not do well.”

At 6:45, we meet Valerie at her apartment in the city.  A few minutes later her doorbell rings and she opens the door saying, “Oh, we have a couple of guests.” In walk Jean and M.  I am speechless.  I had absolutely no idea that this was even a possibility.  In fact, earlier in the day I speak to both of them, and nothing in either conversation even remotely reveals they are in a car on their way to NY.  It is a wonderful feeling to be caught off guard for a surprise of such friendship and love.  Their coming is gift enough, but they don’t think so.

Jean and her family surprise me with the newest Kindle, something I’ve been coveting for a while.  M gets me a Mia, my favorite new beauty toy.  I had to give Robyn’s back to her since her face heeled.  She also hands me a very generous gift certificate to Saks.  And then Valerie gives me a gorgeous structured tote from Prada saying, “You need a grown up bag.”  It’s timeless and stunning. 

We split into two cabs; M, Jean and I in one cab, Valerie and Alexander in another.  We head downtown to Union Square Café, a popular and wonderful restaurant.  We arrive and the hostess says, “Oh, someone from your party is already here.”  I correct her and say, “Oh, you mean two people,” and she fires back, “No, one (even holding up a single finger to make her point).”  M grabs my arm and pushes me forward before I have any time to wonder what happened to either Valerie or Alexander.  We get to our table and there’s my friend V, also from Boston.  A cascade of surprises over two days.  I am again dumbstruck.

V brings little cookies for everyone from Momofuku, and hands me a gift certificate to my favorite casual clothiers, All Saints.  I hardly notice the fabulous food we eat, as it is just so much fun to be among my family and friends.

I know my mom would come if she could have.  But my dad needs her now more than I do, as he recovers from his knee surgery.

It’s hard for me to be articulate when I am so touched.  The generosity and love of my family and friends touches me deeply.  So much planning has gone into my two very special celebrations.   Really, if everyone could experience their 60^th birthdays in the way that I have, starting at age 40, they’d be counting down the days.