A Perfect Day

 High Calypso~John Denver

“Then, some days you wake up and everything’s perfect...” ~David Nicholls

Today is my husband’s birthday.  He turned double 5's.  It’s a better age than 54, because now he can get the senior special in certain restaurants!  People ought to get an added perk like that as we get older, don’t you think?  Trust me when I tell you that he’s going to utilize that benefit too, wherever he qualifies!  Although, it is a sobering thought to be considered a senior at 55.  When, pray*tell did THAT happen?  When I was growing up, one became a senior citizen at 62.  I told him not to feel bad though.  I got an invitation last month to join AARP this year and I’m only going to be 50! What’s up with THAT?   But, I digress... ;-)
I knew when I woke up this morning that it was going to be a good day.  Sometimes, when you look out the window and see the level of brightness that’s already in the sky, you just get a certain feeling that the day is going to be good.  Today was that kind of feeling, and turned out to be just that kind of day.
I gave him a good morning kiss, and wished him a High Calypso kinda day.  It was the most perfect thing I could think of.  He smiled and thanked me.  I knew when we took the puppies out for their morning walk that we were going to be in for a treat with regard to the weather.  It was warm but cool breezes moved about it.  No humidity.  It was the kind of day made for a baseball game, which is where I was taking my husband to celebrate his birthday.  He got to pick what he wanted to do today, and when you leave something like that up to him, especially on a summer’s day, odds are, he’s going to choose baseball.  Fortunately, I love baseball, and that makes him extra happy.
We left the house at noon for an early lunch before we got to the ballpark at 1:00.  It was 70 degrees in full sun with cool breezes blowing, but it was warm — so warm.  Our seats were right behind home plate, and we settled in listening to the music while we watched people file in.  Directly across from us, where the scoreboard was, the American flag and our state flag stood side-by-side, waving gently in that blowing breeze.  It was a beautiful sight.  The smells were pure summer: hotdogs, popcorn, funnel cakes, cotton candy.  It was intoxicating.  I closed my eyes for a minute and let those aromas take me back to other summer places and times in my life.  Kids were squealing and laughing in delight as life-size animal characters walked around shaking hands and greeting visitors.
I inhaled deeply and silently thanked God for the simple abundance that was in that moment.  It was a true gratitude moment.  When they come to you, sometimes, they can overwhelm.  Simplicity and grandeur melding like that always has that effect on me — when a moment comes to you so full with goodness.  I never take them for granted.
Tom leaned over to me and whispered, “Thanks, Sweetie!” [I think he must have felt it too.]
I smiled.  It’s nice when you can give the guy you love a great day on this birthday.   It couldn’t have turned out any better if I’d specifically ordered it up, and I had the previous night in my prayers.
“You’re welcome!” I said.  “You want some ice-cream?”
He smiled, because I know him so well.
“Yeah,” he replied.  “That sounds good.”
I handed him a $20.
“Chocolate?” he asked.
I nodded.  Hello?~What else?
“Bottle of water too,” I added.
I’ve previously mentioned that there’s nothing better than ice-cream on a warm, summer’s day.  Let me amend that statement: on a warm, summer’s day when you’re watching a baseball game.  It was a great game, not just because the Richmond home team kicked some New Hampshire butt today and won the game 8-3, though that did help to add to the perfectness of the day.  It was great because everything aligned in just the right order to make it a totally feel good experience for my husband on his special day, and that’s what birthday’s should be about.
Later, we shared a piece of S’MORE’s cake after I lit a candle and sang him the birthday song.  It doesn’t matter how old you are.  Making wishes is mandatory AND important – at least in this house they are.  Word of advice: You are NEVER too old to make a wish, so NEVER pass up that opportunity, when given the chance!
As I was fixing his cake, he gave me a hug.
“Did you have a good day?”
He gave me a squeeze.  “It was a VERY good day!”
I sighed happily.  “I think it was a perfect day!”
“Yes,” he agreed.  “Perfect.”
“I’m glad you had a good day!”
He took his cake.  “I did!”
“We’ll have a bigger celebration next week when the family is together,” I added.
“I wouldn’t trade anything for this day!”
"Me either," I smiled, content.
As we walked into the den to have our cake, I thought back on a song I played for him this morning: Louis Armstrong’s, “Wonderful World”, and I thought to myself how wonderful mine is with him in it...


 Wonderful World~Louis Armstrong