Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to Me!

[RetroLounge]

Yes, it is my birthday today, and I was thinking...

Age 11: Well, I remember nothing about it. Just another skinny kid in the suburbs of Chicago hanging out and being a kid.

Age 22: Just begining a long nasty decline. It was going to get bad and stay that way for a long time. But I didn't know it then, and was having a hell of a lot of "fun" on the way to homelessness, addiction, self-abuse, suicide attempts and the gut-wrenching terror of being one of the lost.

Age 33: Yikes. What happenned? In Milwaukee, 4 yrs Sober, Divorced, In grad school, living in a studio, no car, no real job, starting over, feeling not old, but just like I was late for the party.

and today.

Age 44: Whoo Hoo! Damn, life is good. Woke up early and climbed on the treadmill while watching music videos. My wife and two kids had presents wrapped and ready for me, and nice cards two. They woke up and I got big birthday hugs from the kids while they helped unwrap the presents. My wife made a big breakfast for us. Parents called to say happy birthday and that they love me. and I get to lounge around all day in my very own house and do nothing but exist, happy, joyous and free.

RL