How Do You Celebrate?

Forest and I both turned 70 in the past year, but we have very different styles of celebrating. When I turned 70 last year, we invited friends from all over and celebrated for a month. Our daughter, Anna, used all of my ideas (I only meant for her to pick one) and combined them into a spectacular food display, flowers, and so much more to celebrate a momentous day with many dear friends.

As Forest’s 70th approached, he responded: No big party, no big celebration, no big surprise. I simply said, OK. I understood that transitioning to 70 is a process that is different for everyone. It took me over a year to become agreeable to that new decade.

Last year, at the end of summer, we had our deck rebuilt. Forest’s 70th birthday was our first opportunity to celebrate! As Forest considered how he wanted to celebrate, he decided he wanted a casual setting with his “family” to surround him.

Forest found a new table with six (SIX became key!) chairs he loved on our extended deck. He decided any gathering could only have SIX people since there were six chairs.

Our daughter, the Lifestyle for Health (LFH) team of two, and two supporters of LFH went to the top of his list. That, plus him and me, took the count to seven—what a conundrum! Forest solved the problem by buying two new swivel-rocker chairs; we now had eight! Although this sounds simple, it was experienced with laughter, much thought, and deliberation. He felt this group was like the ‘big family of kids’ we never had – yes it even included a sleep-over for everyone!

For lunch, Forest chose a simple menu, and I supported him.

He made his famous Einkorn Sourdough bread and smoked (over 13 hours!) an amazing organic, grass-fed brisket. It was the best any of us have ever experienced! I made a salad and his favorite cake, our dear friend’s carrot cake.  We had no fancy setting, no gourmet touches, no balloons, no surprises, or anything big or grand. We simply celebrated Forest, who is the BEST – and the weekend was indeed grand!

When it comes to celebrating, it isn’t so much the ‘how’ you celebrate, but taking the time to CELEBRATE SOMEONE YOU LOVE, the way they enjoy being celebrated!

When you have an opportunity to celebrate, jump right in! Whether it is grand and big or simple and fun, the memories are worth it all.