Life of adventure, Musings

A Birthday in France

Suzanne

It was my birthday when the clock chimed midday in France, and, midnight downunder as in those islands past Australia.

This year we are again celebrating our birthdays in France though in a different commune. To be more precise in a 17th-century farmhouse in the Midi-Pyrenees, which means I still have another 12 hours to go before the clock chimes HAPPY BIRTHDAY. To me, it still feels strange to have a birthday on the other side of the world when I actually had my first scream in the Southern hemisphere. A positive side could be that we now can extend the jollities for longer. Which we are doing and taking time off from housesitting and going up a few canals with good friends from New Zealand in September, more on this at a later stage.

It is not just I who turns another year older while here in France. The Squire does too.  As our birthdays are only just a week apart.  Though he in some ways is not so happy about turning the page over to the next decade. Whereas I have another year before reaching that significant birthday. At the moment it doesn’t seem quite real.

Yet, we both did not think we would get to this age for differing reasons.

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Each time life has thrown its impermanence at us, we have launched our hopes into the universe and asked for more. More hugs, more laughter, more time, more years. We want as much time as possible with the ones we love, which inevitably means growing older.

We can look at ageing as something that just happens and is beyond our control. The way we like to view as receiving a badge of honour each year. It is indeed a privilege.

Each one of us can either focus on the destination or the journey.

The wear and tear of ageing is evidence of all the living we’ve done; marking our bodies with keepsakes, reminding us of where we’ve been. Our scars are souvenirs from times we tested boundaries, pushed personal limits, and learned about caution, risk, and judgment.

Our freckles are relics of the carefree, sun-filled summers of our youth. Tanning our skin [or in my case more like burning my pale skin!] on the long sandy beaches or the seas of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Where time has stood still and savoured as there was nowhere we needed to be.

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The lines on our faces tell the stories of our lives. Happiness, gratitude, sadness, fear and bits of everything in between are the rivers of emotion that, over time, formed lines around our eyes and mouths, leaving signs of how this life has shaped us individually and differently.

We shall continue to welcome the candles and embrace the privilege of age. Each birthday is another year we get to be here, enjoying our lives as nomads. For me, with a husband who supports and loves me unconditionally. Which I know the Squire acknowledges I do for him. Not forgetting the support and love received from our family and friends who are spread all over the world.

Hopefully, we have luck on our side, we shall indeed have more wrinkles, belly wobbles and a full head of grey hair. All of these, of course, will come with more wisdom, peace of mind, and total comfort in ourselves.

When we blow out the candles this year my wish for the both of us, is the same as always. For us to share another trip around the sun together, making more incredible memories and adding more candles to our birthday cake.

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Published by Suzanne

Travel and Life Musings from New Zealand and Beyond. . . . . . .

54 thoughts on “A Birthday in France”

  1. What a wonderful post Suzanne. You mirrored so many of the thoughts I have aging, but in a much more positive way. I loved that you brought attention to the scars of aging. I’ll think differently in regards to my wrinkles and sags from now on – not sure about my double chin though. You lost Paul when you spoke about the grey hair – he just wishes he had enough hair left to go grey.
    Happy birthday 🎂to you both, and many, many more. Good health!🥂

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    1. Hey Janis you are right January is not the best month for birthdays about as bad as December. Not that it matters now 😀 Thanks for the wishes!

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  3. What a beautiful and positive post!

    I know many people who become very negative as they grow older. I can’t understand this mentality as growing old is a privilege many are robbed of…for me, it makes me want to do and experience even more. 😉

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  6. Happy birthday you two.
    Having lost mum and dad much younger than I am now, I accept every birthday as a gift. Don’t look at the number L, or maybe think, ‘wow, look how far we’ve come!’

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    1. Thanks Wendy. We both agree as I just read out what you wrote. Yes you did lose your parents too young and he has chatted about them as part if his growing up years!. He’s okay now with the forth coming birthday 😀 He has done well and I’m very proud of him!!

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  7. Happy birthday Suz. And, for the Squire as well. What a beautifully written and insightful post. I like the way you think about ageing and birthdays. Your positive spirit will travel with me, as I get older every day and the scars, indeed, collect, mentally and physically. Yet, like you, I appreciate every day, week, month and year I get to be on this earth, exploring and enjoying it to bits whenever possible.

    We celebrated my mother-in-law’s 82nd birthday at rehab today and made it a very special and happy day (under the circumstances) for her. It brought so much joy to see her crying from happiness and gratitude, and boiling over with love and appreciation!

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  9. Happy, happy birthdays to you both! Lovely thoughts on ageing. The only thing I don’t like about it is contemplating how large a fraction of my life i’ve lived now. Otherwise, I much prefer being 60 to, say, 20.

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    2. Oh dear Suz!! It was me (Jane (Througham)). New Years resolution was to not ‘like’, ‘comment’ or ‘share’ on FB, so have been trying to stay off it. Tried twice, but WordPress wasn’t having any of it.😩 Hope you had a wonderful day. X

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      1. Hi Jane, not a problem and thanks for the wishes 😁 I don’t use FB very often. Messenger more so. Obviously spend more time blogging and reading others! Hope you are both well. Had a relaxing day xx

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  18. I love that your freckles are relics of your youth! Happy birthday, another wonderful post. I foynd out when once i worked In southern India, you are one at birth, therefore a year older than here. That scenario didn’t appeal… until i came home, where I became a minus one. 😃😄

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  20. Like my brother and me I think you guys are living your later years to perfection. Our motto (mantra) for life has distilled to: Live Simple, Live Cheap, Live Free. We’re LOVING every minute of it. 🙂

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    1. Thanks Dennstedt, another cliche is that life is way to short to waste not doing things that make you smile. Glad to hear you are both enjoying your latter years too 🙂

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