When a birthday rolls around of someone very special in your life, you want to get them something special to show gratitude for their life. It’s usually material and meant to brighten their day.
So what on earth do you do to celebrate the life of someone who resides in Heaven now?!
You can’t just forget or ignore their birthday. After all, the imprint their life left on yours is eternal. Gifts for them obviously cannot be material, so they require a little more creativity, but they are also more rewarding and memorable.
I’ll never forget Nov 3, 2014; Jerry’s first birthday in Heaven. I decided I would drive his “big truck,” a Ram 1500 crew cab, for the first time. He always wanted me to drive it, but I never trusted myself. I was worried I would wreck it. Too big. The side mirrors were bigger than my head for Heaven’s sake! Gimme a break!
He died before I ever tried…
So for his birthday that year, I did it! I drove his truck. I didn’t wreck it either! I knew he was smiling down, proud of me.
Last year, I found out a Disney cruise was leaving NYC, my “happiest place on earth,” on Nov 3rd. He and I dreamed of the day our tiny babies would be old enough for us to take a “dream family vacation” such as this. We never got the chance. He died when they were still in diapers. I always wanted to one day fulfill this dream. This was the chance…as his birthday present last year. I spent every last dime of our remaining life insurance to fulfill this dream with the kids. And I have no regrets. A dream it was…departing NYC on his birthday, we cruised the whole Eastern Seaboard to the Bahamas and Disney World and back. Happy birthday baby!
This year I saw that the NYC Marathon was to fall on Nov 3rd. A dream I had since I met Jerry. I knew “it was meant to be.” And tomorrow, on Nov 3rd, it’s where I’ll be. Happy birthday baby!!!
