The P.S. I Love You "Dark & Delicious" event was Friday. I promised to report back here about it. But I'm not going to. If you are desperate to learn more about that event (and who wouldn't be?) you'll have to read my post on the front page of Vintage New World today.
Today is my birthday. That's making me think about landmark days, the signal days by which we measure and judge our lives. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduation days, holidays, greeting card days ... designated days when we feel compulsion to think about our passage through time.
On New Year's Day, my birthday, Independence Day, Christmas Day, and, to a lesser degree, the first day of any new month, I think about what I'm doing or accomplishing, whether or not it offers satisfaction, and (so far) re-up for another term (which, since I'm thinking on the first day of each month, could be as short as 29 days). On these days I judge myself. Sometimes well, sometimes a bit harshly (I need to guard against that).
On the birthdays of family and friends, on anniversary days, on Valentine's Day, on Thanksgiving Day ... on these days I think about loved ones near and far-away (in geography and life), and my relationship with them. There is no judgment on these days. These days are for acting on and remembering generosity and love. I save judging for my own life.
Really, as I pause on this birthday, I realize that everyday is pretty much a landmark day for me. I may pause more formally on designated "landmark days," but I judge my progress every day, and seek opportunities for love and generosity every day. It would be a pretty poor sort of day if I didn't.
Enough revery. I also got some great gifts today (besides the many birthday greetings, on line and by mail): a very cool book called "Infrastructure: A Field Guide to the Industrial Landscape" from my Mom and Dad; Peter Ackroyd's "Thames: The Biography" and a Timbuk2 "Design Your Own Bag" gift card from Christine. A lovely notepad from Michael and Bobby. And (at last!) a compass, also from Christine. It's a great compass, with a transparent body for working with maps, and a ruled mirror for aligning landmarks.
I feel safer today. Without a compass, how would I know where I was going, and if I was going the right way? But I've got a compass. Thank you.
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