Grandmère Mimi set me reminiscing this morning with her post Lessons Life Taught Me. It's all about wisdom of growing older and I'm getting ready to celebrate my 70th at the end of June. Since I celebrated my 50th and 60th in Vienna, I decided a few years back that I would celebrate my 70th there as well. Many of the people I know are no longer there, but I do have a few friends I want to see and there are new people to meet at the Anglican Church there where I attended when I worked for the UN and where I spent eight months while in seminary as an intern.My daughter and son-in-law are coming so that will be fun. We will see The Magic Flute at the Opera House and share some meals with friends and show daughter's husband some of the sights. My daughter lived with me there for about a year. She worked (mainly for free) at the English Theatre. At the time she was a theatre major and had finished two years of college. It was a wonderful time of bonding for the two of us. She also met many people and has kept in touch with some them over the years and some live in the US near enough for her to still get together with then.
One Mother's Day there she told me to stay in my bedroom. My daughter was cooking in the kitchen and I assumed a nice breakfast was being prepared. It turned out that three young musician friends of hers from Australia had come over to our apartment to play me a private concert (and eat breakfast.) The Dvorak string trio they played brought tears to my eyes. We had other magical moments around music and travel together and I am so grateful for that time together that allowed our mother-daughter relationship to flourish.
After Vienna I'm going to England for my first meeting of the Society of Ordained Scientists and with a Britrail pass go see some cathedral cities before heading home.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. (From Mimi's post above)
7 comments:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (SOON) and enjoy your holiday...I light a candle in Central America for your peace of mind, all-around joy, and most of all, well being.
Leonardo Ricardo
Thank you Leonardo I'm really looking forward to it. Some of these wonderful people I haven't seen for 10 years.
Yes, Happy Birthday.
Do you have room in your suitcase? I love Wien. It is just over a year since I spent two nights there and attended Der Rosenkavalier at the StaatsOper on the first night and Land des Lachelns at the Volks Oper on the second night
http://brianaralph.blogspot.com/2008/04/waltzing-in-vienna.html
Brian, I just read your posting on your trip. Having lived in Austria for 8 years I got to travel the country a great deal, much of it by train and bus and I found it fascinating. I really do miss the music in Wien, there was always something to go to and I think I went to the opera about once a month. Anyway your post is making me even more itching to go. I do think I'll have to be packed to move before I leave, however. That means a lot of work over the next three weeks.
How very nice! Happy birthday!
Amelia, I got chills reading about your birthday celebration - good chills. How lovely of your daughter to arrange for the musicians.
I found turning 70 absolutely liberating. I could call myself old without hesitation. If one is not old when one is 70, when would one be old? I thought to myself, "I will do what I want, say what I want, and damn the consequences." I don't mean saying and doing hurtful things, but not worrying any longer what people think of me.
I hope for a wonderful trip for you in the place where you have such beautiful memories.
Thank you Mimi, I have greatly enjoyed each of the last "big" birthdays and I'm sure this one will be wonderful too. When my children were young I threatened that I would become "the little old lady from Pasadena," a popular song then, just to embarrass them. They were horrified but I hope I've managed a bit of that even before I'm officially old.
Post a Comment