Keep it Real Wednesday
August 18, 2021
Saturday August 21st, Rosemary will be 95 years old. NINETY-FIVE!
On our ride a few days ago, I asked Rosemary to tell me about her birthdays when she was young and what they did to celebrate. Rosemary said to me with a melancholy smile “First of all, I never thought I would ever be THIS old.”
Rosemary said her mother would buy special fabric and make a beautiful dress for her birthday. Rosemary treasured her birthday dresses. I asked if she had a special cake or celebration and she said, “Not really, it was different back then”.
Each year since Rosemary has lived with us since my Dad died (1998), we have tried to make her birthdays extra special. It’s just what we do. We are a family that likes to celebrate things.
But this year, on this big day we won’t be having a birthday celebration for Rosemary beyond our immediate family for a few reasons. Covid is an obvious reason but we are also protecting another family member who is immune compromised as well. So we are sticking close to home and each other.
I asked Rosemary how she felt about us not having a big celebration this year and she said “Actually, I am very happy about it and am grateful for my birthday to be quiet and at home.” She said, “As a young child we didn’t’ fuss over birthdays because we were in modest times”.
“This year, I would like to request a modest birthday to complete the circle of life”.
What a wonderful, positive outlook.
I am not much of a seamstress, so making a dress for Rosemary, like her mother did, is out of the question. BUT we did reupholster the bench seat on her blessing bike with some beautiful ROSE fabric gifted specifically for Rosemary by a friend.
Happy 95th birthday Rosemary O’Malley Sorce!
