Late Blooming Lessons – Life’s Second Chapter
A journey of discovery. A discovery of self. Pieces of old. Paired with pieces of new.
#17: Happy 72nd Birthday
“Another birthday in heaven—still celebrated, still cherished.”
Dear Greg,
Today would have been your 72nd birthday. Another milestone. Another “should have been.” As I sit with that truth, my heart holds the familiar mix of love. Gratitude. Longing. And pain.
I always think back to your 60th birthday. Your last. The big one. The one and only true surprise I ever pulled off. A night completely about YOU. Friends. Family. Laughter. Warmth. So much love filling the room. I can still see your smile. Feel the joy. Remember every detail…especially our last dance. How I wish, more than anything, for just one more. To stand beside you. To celebrate you. Together.
Instead, I’m here – and you’re “there.” I miss you. I miss us. But today isn’t about what was taken. It’s about who you were. And who you still are in all of us. Your kindness. Your generosity. Your compassion. Your loyalty. Honesty. And integrity. The twinkle in your eye. That infectious smile that welcomed everyone. Once a friend, always a friend. What a gift you were to this world.
Your birthday falls in February. A month of hearts. How fitting. A month that celebrates love. You lived with heart in everything you did. You inspired us to be better. Do better. To lead with grace and goodness. And though heart disease took you far too soon, it did not take your legacy.
So today, as we celebrate your 72nd, I choose Joy. Gratitude. And Purpose.
You never liked gifts – but you loved kindness. So today, and every February 5th, we honor you the way you would have loved most: through random acts of kindness. A smile. A compliment. Holding the door. Letting someone go first. A phone call. A note. A moment of listening. The smallest gesture, done from the heart. In a world that often feels topsy-turvy, kindness still changes everything – one act at a time.
I know you’re smiling down on all of us with that grin I miss so much.
Happy heavenly 72nd birthday! You are forever present. In my heart. In our memories. And in the lives you touched so deeply. Thank you for the love we shared. The life we built. And the lessons you left behind.
I love you. I miss you. Always.
#HeavenlyBirthday #ForeverLoved #AlwaysWithUs #InMyHeart #GoneButNeverGone #LoveNeverEnds #GriefAndGrace #StillLoved #AlwaysMissed #72InHeaven
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