Just finished reading Willow's post on Lynn Redgrave's death. She could not have been more poignant when she wrote that we " need to seize the day and stop to buy a big juicy chunk of life". And in my Southern Bible Belt tradition, my only comment  was "Amen sister". I hope Willow knows that receiving that comment from an American Southerner is one of the highest compliments that can be rendered in word form.

Prior to sitting down to savor my favorite blog sites, I spent at least an hour looking over photos taken on the momentous day.

Turning fifty has been such a joy. Contrary to the way I thought I was going to feel, my life seems to have settled. All the dust is gone and my heart is much clearer.

My two wonderful children took me for a walk down memory lane. The walk was peaceful regardless of the many, major struggles we were reminded of while on our stroll. I believe the wonderful personalities that have blossomed in my children were cultivated by working through the difficulties in life with perseverance and humor.

For the first time in my life I am able to:

accept differences without feeling I need to defend my position
be more confident than conforming
realize that a bad day or anger is only a faint whisper of difficulty
that life REALLY IS too short to waste
the future promises nothing but good things for those who seek it

I'm relaxed....I enjoy....I'm looking forward to good things.

So- on that note I want to share some of God's promises for the future:

My only regret is that I didn't turn fifty sooner.........

Just kidding!