do you know what i want for my birthday?

As a young boy and through my late teen years I suffered with grand mal seizures and my mother quickly observed that whenever I got too excited it would trigger an episode. Christmas and my birthday In particular were events in which I got so excited that she would allow me to open one present the night before so that I would lessen the excitement.. Perhaps it's those efforts to suppress excitement that lead to a false perception that I am so 'cool' , that I don't get flustered or excited about anything....

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...Nothing could be further from the truth but that is not the subject of this blog, nor is my epilepsy since thanks be to God I had my last seizure at age 17 and off medication since age 19. No, June 14th is my birthday I want to reflect on the question that always pops up around this time of my birthday and Father's Day which are always close together: 'what do you want?'

I'm so excited but what do I want? As a kid the answer was always a quick list of 'things' particularly toys but even in early adulthood I could be happy with material things from a bottle of cologne to some latest tech gadget but as I hit mid fifties today let me tell you what would make me happiest: 

• That I would end my day and wake up with my wife next to me
• That I can still enjoy breakfast together not only with Eva, but with my children Marc and Andrea every day, even while knowing that very soon they will both be in their own nests
• That I can look forward to speaking with my mother every afternoon as soon as I leave work all the way until I get home
• That I have Carol and her family, Judy and Andre (hey little bro!)
• That I have aunts, uncles and cousins, and children of cousins to think about and enjoy hearing about
• That I have nephews and nieces to love and that includes in-laws and families of in-laws
• That I look forward to working with every member of my staff
• That I have the love, friendship and support of my parishioners
• That I have my friends both old and new, even if our relationship, through time and distance, is confined to Facebook

Funny isn't  it? It's people not things that now make me happiest. I still get excited over gifts don't get me wrong but I really appreciate the giver much more. Whether it is a present, card or a simple birthday greeting let me say that YOU are the best gifts I've ever received And for this I am eternally grateful to God. Happy birthday to me...I love getting older though I won't ever get old. :)

Sincerely and sentimentally yours
Deacon Michel