It was my birthday yesterday and the very best part of it was having a chance to reconnect with friends far and near, chat with them briefly or longer, hear about their lives. I spent the day smiling thinking about my past lives, the people I’d met there, and the joy they bring to my current life. It was a glorious snowy day that caused me to be cozied up inside with only brief forays out to watch Chutney the dog leap about in the snow like a cat with wrapping paper. I wallowed in my friends instead of the snow.

Early on, I heard from a former “significant other”, who remains significant to this day. We met the first week of university, spent so many silly times together – will I ever forget the Boston Cream Pie fiasco? We lost track of each other, then reconnected a couple of years later. It was … incendiary … I spent days enclosed by a mist of lust and longing and total addlement. We reconnected again a while ago, briefly. It was … incendiary! Again! Plus friendly and loving and caring and completely unexpected and thrilling. And yet innocent. I can’t help smiling thinking about it. So, what does it mean? Soulmates? Oddly attuned pheromones? Shared love of the muppets? Who knows. All I know now is that somewhere on the planet there’s a star that shines, that warms my heart. We’re unlikely ever to reconnect again in a physical way, but our friendship remains solid, warming, and comforting. I am so grateful for it.

Then, later in the day, my girlfriends checked in. A wonderful group of women, my gang of ladies who lunch, who circle around my sis-in-law-once-removed, and who welcomed me in, arms open, despite my ungratefully divorcing my ex. When I lived in Ottawa, we’d visit once monthly for a lingering lunch of conversation and support and affection. I miss them so much.

My nursing buddy called. We’ve been friends since I arrived at Queen’s, we suffered nursing school together, she saw me through disastrous boyfriends, drunken evenings, vicious nursing profs. She’s been far more successful than I have – she leads her field. I am agog at her accomplishments and so thrilled at her continued friendship with her peripatetic friend.

Many other wonderful wishes came my way throughout the day, from old friends and new. I can’t tell you how much these mean to me, as I perch on the edge of the continent and look back in gratitude for the life I’ve lived so far. How lucky I’ve been! From high school buddies to new friends, from cousins to sisters to kids to loves, my life has been and continues to be so very rich.

It heartens me, braces me to step forward, heart open, arms open, to embrace the future. My humble thanks to you all.