Wednesday, September 14, 2011

All I Want For My Birthday Is...

Too old to believe in fairy tales?  Well not me.  I think it keeps you young at heart.  Or maybe it is because I have been reading a lot more fairy tales since my grandchildren are back in school as part of their nightly homework for their reading log.  If fairy tales really do come true, and I've read a lot of them in my lifetime, I sure hope one comes to reality on my birthday, Friday, September 16th, 2011.

And speaking of things which stand the test of time it brings to mind the famous poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning which has also withstood time.   I can't recall the number of times I've heard it in different mediums over my life time or at least the words to it, here goes:

Number 43

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
                                        --- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
 Not to completely embarrass myself I won't blast him on the Internet.  But all I want for my birthday is him and not just a hug and kiss on the forehead.  When I blow out my birthday candles I want my eyes to open up and see his big beautiful smile looking at me in the center of the table from a candlelit dinner for two to the tune of our favorite Anthony Hamilton song with a mix of some Luther Vandross, Teddy P, and all the other soul smoothness we can appreciate for us to come into unison as our age comes into unison on that day.    

Some things like stories of fairy tales stand the test of time.  I want the person who pulls at my heartstrings to not only become my prince but my king.  How do I get him to even notice me?  How many fairy tales have a happy part where the woman is the aggressor.  I just can't do that. They say a closed mouth doesn't get fed but I think it is a little too much as a woman to tell a man who I don't even think has any interest in me that I want him to be holding the fork which feeds me my birthday cake.  I'm going to need to stop reading so many fairy tales.  Back to work the kids are long gone to bed.