A Rose for a Rose

Birthdays are special days in my family. We Bordes are always looking for a reason to celebrate, but birthdays are king. Regardless of what is going on in our lives, it's family tradition to pause for a birthday phone call, birthday visit, birthday dinner and/or even birthday party to celebrate the day we arrived into the world together. Birthdays are moments that help us keep time with one another and acknowledge the blessing and accomplishment of another year of life, another year of life as a family.

Today is my Aunt Kathy's birthday. I won't disclose her age, but I will say that while each birthday is special this one and each birthday after this one is very special for all of us. For the past few months, she has been battling a very aggressive colon cancer. After rounds of surgeries, chemotherapy, and other challenges, my aunt is still fighting on with grace, optimism and peace. It's her peace that I find so inspiring.

We are all rooting for more time with her, for her healing. However, whether or not that is in the cards for our family, she has inspired us by how she embraces each day since her diagnosis with joy, humor and a willingness to be present. She wants to see people and go places, even when it physically exhausts her. There isn't a hug that doesn't linger longer than it did before or an "I love you" that is said with deep meaning.

So in honor of her special day, I wanted to post a photo that reminds me of her. She is like this summer rose -- colorful and bold in spite of the brutal sun. While this photograph makes the rose appear as if it stands alone, it was actually surrounded by other roses and flowers encouraging and supporting its stand. Just like in life, and especially on birthdays, we never stand alone.

Cheers Aunty K. Here's to today and many more birthdays together. I'm so grateful that we have grown together in the same family garden.