So here I am, a newly-minted 80-year-old. I can’t quite believe it, mind you, but it’s what the calendar says.
JoAnn and I celebrated my birthday Friday with a very special lunch at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Denver. Everything was perfect, it really was, including driving through some of the city’s lovely old neighborhoods and seeing the financial sector up close.
The food was wonderful. I could feel the bonds of love between JoAnn and myself being quietly nourished and renewed. And our waiter, Kevin, was a young man with a caring spirit and great sense of humor. It was fun to kid around with him. He seemed to enjoy the occasion just as much as we did.
The steak was succulent and the strawberry shortcake was a gift from heaven. The hotel brought us a dish of the shortcake (with a candle in it and two spoons) to share with their compliments. Unfortunately, while JoAnn usually lets me have most of any dessert, this time she didn’t, darn it. I had to fight for every spoonful:-).
Facebook got in the act too as the day progressed. I’m very thankful for Facebook. It is an amazing way to connect. Friends from many places sent greetings and it was very touching to feel the love of both old friends and new.
Then next morning our townhome community had its monthly Saturday morning coffee at the clubhouse and there was more excitement as JoAnn brought a birthday cake to share. Later I had a great time talking with my three grandkids in Vancouver via Skype.
Oh dear. Too much excitement. I think I’m a bit tuckered:-).
I’ll be back to normal with a regular post as soon as I recover:-). I’m not even going to think about the special lunch we have planned with two dear friends this Saturday to celebrate two of our respective birthdays. Blessings and love to you.
Hi. My name is Christopher. I've loved wisdom all my life and I've followed it with a passion since I was a kid. Wisdom is our best friend regardless of our age, culture, nationality, or anything else. I'll be 80 in May 2012 and I'd love to share what I have learned with you.
{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
Happy 80th, Chris! Had no idea you were at that great age! Thanks for sharing your wisdom and helping us seek happy!
Thank you and bless you Georgene. Have a wonderful day.
Congratulations, Chris! You’re a shining example of how to age with grace and verve!
I’m sending you a virtual hug (and play “Happy Birthday” on my ukulele for you
Mary | Goodlife ZEN recently posted..Are We Born Optimists?
I’m so very, very happy to hear from you Mary, and your words are a gift to my soul. Thank you very much for the hug and right now I’m busy enjoying the sounds of your ukelele. Hey, you’re pretty good at it aren’t you? Lots of love and thanks to you Mary. Stay strong.
Glad it was such a great day… Nice photo of the two of you. Thanks for sharing your day with us
Thank you Barbara. I appreciate very much your taking the time to write, and JoAnn and I send you our love.
Happy Birthday! You celebrated with flair! What an inspiration to be so loved!
Thank you Heather. I shared your comment with my wife and we join in sending you lots of love and blessing. Take care.
A Very Happy 80th Birthday to you Chris and Many Happy Returns! I hope your 80th year far surpasses any you’ve experienced thus far! You’re an incredible role model and inspiration for us all.
Much love,
Linda
Your words are filled with kindness Linda, and I want you to know your comment has really blessed me. Much love to you.
Chris….you are a very young and vibrant 80, I’ll say that! I am thrilled you had sucha wonderful day……..and many blessings!
David, I am very thankful for our friendship. It seems to me it is like fine wine, just keeps getting better and better. Much love to you and Diane.
Happiest of days to you Christopher…
I meant what I said to you after coming upon your website last year.. some people are put on this earth to make a difference, it doesnt have to be a huge undertaking, you know me and seeing the value in simplicity. I still think you are one of those delightful creatures that does make a difference, I read responses from your readers, there’s my proof and for myself, well I look forward to seeing what you will write every week now.
I hope you have many more life thoughts to share…
Until your next post…enjoy some walks, listen to the music of nature, the colors of the landscapes, the peace of the moment…
cheers for today
Sheila
MUY FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS… DESDE MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
Congratulations & happy birthday on your 80th. Loved the photo of you & JoAnn.Warmest love & blessings to you both…. Ken
Ken, thank you so much. I’m very very happy how life has found a way to connect us up again. Send you much love on your journey.
Happy birthday, Chris! I’m surprised too that you have reached this venerable age! I remember meeting you when I was a shy teenager and you were a strapping young man.
I salute you and the liveliness of your life! The photo of you and JoAnn is beautiful.
With an appreciative hug,
Nancy Rose
Lovely to hear from you Nancy Rose. And I salute you. Very happy to share this journey with you and absolutely delighted to connect with you again. Time is very elusive isn’t it. Like a passing breeze in a way. Thanks for your words and love to you across the miles.
80 years young, Chris! Happiest of birthdays to you! It’s an honor to know you and call you a friend.
Love,
Gail
Gail Brenner (AFlourishingLife) recently posted..Remember Who You Are
Gail, you are a special gift in my life, you really are. Thank you for your words and it’s an honor to know you.
Happy Birthday Chris…The 80′s are the new 70′s! Keep up the good works and thank you for the inspirational life you live! Blessings to you and your beautiful wife!!
Love, Nadeja
Thank you Nadeja and blessings right back to you. JoAnn joins me in sending you our love. Take care.
What a lovely way to celebrate such a milestone. The Four Seasons with your precious JoAnn and humor. Not to mention strawberry shortcake. Gentle but fun…it’s how I see you. I can’t believe you are 80 either…but what do calendars know? Just look at the Maya…
Humor really is one of the most special gifts of this universe we live in, isn’t it Elizabeth. There’s scarcely a moment that a bit of humor can’t enliven and bless. I’m so happy to connect with you again in this way. Blessings to you.
Happy Birthday Chris, I’m glad it was special for you.
You are a blessing to many.
Thank you for your words Rick. Life is good and it’s good to share it with you.
I wrote a blog piece on turning 60 a few years ago. I sure hope I make it to 80 with an attitude like yours. You are an inspiration. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Pat Fuller recently posted..Self-awareness
Congrats! You are an inspiration for us all. I wish you many, many happy years.
Cathie MacDonald recently posted..Giggle with Children
Thanks for your kind words Cathie, and thank you for your support. All the best with your various endeavors.
What a beautiful post!
I have just started following you and look forward to lots more!!
A very happy birthday to you!:)
Christine
Thank you so much Christine. Your blog is beautiful. You mention on the blog how you find therapy in poetry and I couldn’t agree more. Poetry isn’t “up” for me now in quite the same way it once was, but I’m sure you’re going to find much joy in your “journey into poetry.” Good luck and God bless.
Sending you warm birthday wishes! You and your sharing are an inspiration! Thank you for your perceptions and experiences and simply being who you are. I hope this year to come is full of desserts for you & Jo Ann to share!
I’m very grateful for your kind and encouraging message Nevelyn and wish you much happiness now and in the days to come. Be well and blessings on your journey.
Happy Belated
th Christopher! You look great and JoAnn looks amazing. What a beautiful couple the two of you are. Sounds like you had a very blessed time. You deserve it. May your next 
years be more blessed than the last 8O! You have live and continue to live your life in a manner and style to try so hard to do your best and give your best in everyway. Daddy God sees you and smiles upon you!
God bless you and yours.
PS. I celebrated my birthday last weekend as well. 62 and feeling 40!
Thank you for your loving words Carmen. I feel truly blessed. Happy birthday to you too and I’m very pleased you feel more like 40 than 62. Just the way it should be:-) Personally, I don’t think our spirit knows what aging is. Love and blessings to you Carmen.
Happy Birthday Chris, you are an inspiration to us all!
Blessings to you both!
Vlad
Vlad | simpler life today recently posted..How to Live in the Present Instead of the Future
Thank you so much Vlad. I appreciate my friendship with you very much. Love from us both.
Happy birthday! I enjoy your articles. I wish you many more birthdays and articles in the future.
Thanks Jeanne, I can’t promise I’ll be able to match my Dad, who was a reporter, lived until he was 95 and kept writing stories until 90 at least. But hey, I’ll do my best:-)
Happy belated Birthday, Christopher! It must be your beautiful wife JoAnn that is keeping you so young! Thank you for your inspirations and guidance through these valleys and hills of Life. The Creator has truly blessed you.
Llynde
You’re absolutely right Llynde. Hard not to stay young around JoAnn. She keeps you on your toes, I can tell you that. Thank you for your kind words and we both send you our love and blessings.
Hi Chris and JoAnn .. so delighted you had such a fun time and a happy day – which looks to be continuing. This connection thing makes life such fun for so many .. delighted the grandkids were able to chat with you … Congratulations and have many happy years ahead, enjoying and savouring every day … cheers Hilary
Hilary recently posted..Uppingham-by-the-sea … Wrap Up!
Thank you Hilary. I’m always so happy to hear from you. I hope you’ve having some nice spring weather:-) Connection is so necessary for all of us isn’t it, I know I’m delighted to be touching in with you right now. “Uppingham by the sea” reminds me of how my parents would drive from London to the seaside for a holiday with me, their only child, in the back, and I would get SO excited when we started getting close to the sea. Love to you Hilary.
Hi Christopher – great to hear from you. Long car trips – we used to go from Surrey to Cornwall often, Surrey to the Lake District … long long journey – my mother’s first husband’s family lived there (he died early in the War) … through the Black Country – took 8 – 10 hours of constant driving … I’m sure we were thrilled to arrive too – love the lakes. We did Bexhill for a couple of years too – my father’s mother moved here.
Those were the days .. just been to Cornwall for a friend of my father’s funeral – aged 95 – a live well lived, someone loved, with many words of wisdom … they had no children – but lovely family around her. The May journey was just beautiful – I love travelling at this time of year!
Glad you enjoyed the Uppingham saga … it was fun to write and show how much change has occurred in the last 135 years …
Happy weekend and summer ahead .. love to you both – Hilary
Hilary recently posted..Uppingham-by-the-sea … Wrap Up!
Happiness at every age. You are a great example of what you teach. I love the picture.
Happy, happy, happy, happy Birthday:-)
Nneka Kelly recently posted..5 Tips for Passionate Self Care
Thank you Nneka. Yes. Happiness at every age. I think the sad truth is that for many years I wasn’t happy. But the good news is ‘It’s never too late to be happy.’ Love to you.
Hi Christopher,
Happy Birthday! So glad you took time away to celebrate this very special occasion. You deserve it. You are a beacon of inspiration to all of us. Enjoy the moment!
Cathy Taughinbaugh recently posted..Meet Christopher Foster, author of The Raven Who Spoke with God
Cathy, thanks a million for taking time to comment here, and thanks another million for publishing the cool interview with me re my book. Let me see, what’s the name of the book again? Oh yes, I remember, ‘The Raven Who Spoke with God,’and it’s available at Amazon right now at the special sale price of 99 cents (in a new Kindle format).
You’re doing a wonderful job with your blog Cathy. Again, many thanks.
Happy Birthday! You have a beautiful blog! Very uplifting… and I know I’ll be back to read more. You are a true inspiration.
Linda Jo Martin recently posted..The Popularity Contest of Life
Thank you so much for stopping by Linda Jo, and thank you for your kind comment. Blessings and it’s good to connect with you.
This connection thing makes life such fun for so many .. delighted the grandkids were able to chat with you. Thanks for sharing. Happy Birthday..
Claire recently posted..The Pregnancy Miracle Book
Dear friend,
They say better late than never, and being on the road when the event took place ,I wish to offer you my best wishes for a most fantastic year as the birthday was a great event in your life.Keep on being as luminous as you are and enjoy life as you do for the best.
One with you
Michel
Thank you Michel. I’m delighted to hear from you. Your words mean a lot to me and I send you a ton of love and blessings.
Happy happy birthday! Actually, time definitely goes by fast.. All we just need to do is enjoy it and be happy always..
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Thank you DynnaLou and blessings to you.
Belated birthday wishes to you! Only just found your website and I must say I’m very inspired! Much love