I have been planning my birthday party for several weeks now. 75 definitely is a cause for a celebration! I haven’t quite started the invitations – I’m just getting all my various lives together so I can make the lists!
First rule is that everyone must bring a poem – either one they have written, or one that they love. And it will be a potluck, for those who want to bring something. Plus there will be a bowl out, for folk who want to contribute to the Friends of Patricia Fund at the CDC Association.
I’m spreading it out from 2 to 7 p m, so that parking will be possible – in the drive, across the street and up and down the street.
My family is way smaller than the extended family I was born into, but with three sons and three grandsons, and all their families and friends I’m close to, there’s a fair sized crowd. Plus my two sisters and their rings of relationship and friendship.
I’m hoping I can remember all the different lives and invite some folks from each one. There are all the different neighborhoods – Bond Hill, North Avondale, Covington, Walnut Hills. And the West Side and Finneytown (in the early 60s!). And all those different committees and Boards – United Way, Human Relations Commission, CDAC from the old CDBG days, many school groups from many schools, neighborhood organizations from each community. All the places I’ve worked – City Hall, University of Cincinnati, Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington, Bond Hill – Paddock Hills CURC way back in the day. All the folk in all the community development industry organizations and businesses. All the writing I’ve done as a consultant, and op-ed pieces for the Enquirer and Post.
And that’s just the left-brained stuff. As a practicing psychic since 1985, there are a lot of friends on the right-brained side, too. Reiki Healing Circle, folk who are now healers in their own right, folk who’ve attended classes and come for readings and become friends. And writing for the Whole Living Journal.
Restaurants and stores where I’ve made friends, groups I’ve joined, like the Cincinnati Friends of Jung and Writers Group and Dream Group.
It will all come together soon, and the invites will go out.
And, even before my birthday, the party for my grandson’s college graduation. It’s gonna be a great spring!