Birthdays

Today the birds were singing in the trees on my pre-dawn walk to school. Mynah’s throaty thrum and chirpy songs underscore the lilt of the brown throated sunbird and whistle of black-napes orioles.

My flip flops slapped against my heels as I walked up the first hill peering into the leafy trees. The morning birds make me smile and this morning they reminded me of the family who lived next door to ours when I was a kid. In that neighborly family, Jere, SR used to sing in the shower in the morning. We loved overhearing a few lines through the bathroom window which was a cracked a bit to let the shower steam out. I can’t remember what songs he sang. I can remember his deep voice and my Mom’s voice praising the song when she crossed the driveways and tippy toed up to the window and aimed a few funny words up into Jere SR’s ear. 

Oh they laughed— those young parents. I was in third grade, maybe fourth. I can’t quite remember.

But I do remember Jere, Jr. maybe a year younger than me; maybe two? 

Today is Jere’s birthday.

More than twenty colleagues and  friends and family members have birthday’s this week. 

It’s the biggest bitlrthday week on my calendar. My birthday is tomorrow, the twenty-fourth as is Michelle’s and Bonnie’s and Dana’s and Luana’s and @HeyLeeAnn’s daughter. Oh the living and the joy in sharing tempers the bittersweet of firsts. 

My first birthday without my Dad in the world with me.