I knew I wanted to write about Birthdays today. To wish a few folks near and very dear to me a VERY Happy Birthday!!! If your birthday was Sunday August 7 or today, Monday August 8, and … this is the really important part, IF you are a wonderful person, then this blog post can be for you too.
Wondering what to say – or draw, and I sat down at my desk, and began to read my emails. It became clearer as I read a blog I follow called THE INDIGO BUNTING. (http://theindigobunting.blogspot.com) – her post for Aug 6th was actually about a baby shower. Her sister “created the most special baby shower for me the other week. The inspiration for it came from this beautiful, little-known Portuguese children’s book about a boy’s first experiences discovering the world through the senses — his first time visiting the sea, his first time seeing colors and birds, his first time hearing the wind in the trees, smelling his grandmother, and tasting fruit.”
I would like to think that adults can still hear, taste, enjoy and appreciate these things too. I was intrigued so I read on…
“But the most meaningful gift of all was this framed art my sister made. The tree and leaves were inspired by the end pages of the book. She asked our friends and family to write one thing they could not wait for our little boy to experience in life — his first ride on the D train, his first Mariners game, his first hiking trip, his first McDonald’s french fry. My husband and I pored over this gift, reading and rereading all the things our friends and family wished for our little boy, realizing how much he is loved already.” ( Erin Jang use to live in Seattle and is now living in NYC.)
I love the idea of the tree and the leaves. How about, as adults, we take the same idea and now those leaves had words about how much the person means to you and shared life experiences. What would my leaves say to express these feelings? How would I sum up the emotions, experiences, memories, gratitudes, and love? What words would have the gusto I want to express on those tree leaves? One of these birthdays is my Dads, and it is more like paragraphs, not sentences, that come to mind, In honesty I don’t know the answer, but I think it is a very lovely idea that I just may try to follow-up on! Below are 3 images from The Baby Shower post. One is of the actual end papers of the book, one is of the framed print the lucky mom to be received, and the third is a close up of a few leaves, that The Indigo Bunting shared as well. All 3 images are from her post – which truly touched a chord in me. Thanks to E R I N J A N G in NYC. blog http://theindigobunting.blogspot.com/2011/08/baby-shower.html
Naturally, Big Hugs and Birthday Wishes to those special people of Aug 7 and 8! (Especially the 8th!) Tons of love – wish I could be there and have a birthday coffee, and share a little Birthday sweet with you! ♥♥♥♥♥♥
Happy Birthday Dad!
Happy Birthday Susan!
The End Papers of the book.
