Birthday Message to My 46 Year​-​old Self

Look at you!
Celebrating another birthday.
You are blessed.
Many people never make it to this age.
Remember when you couldn't imagine a life past 30?
Now here you are.
I am proud of you.
Even as your body discovers new aches and grey
Hairs, your heart discovers new reasons to forgive.
You made mistakes, costly mistakes.
And others made mistakes, painful mistakes.
Angrily, you could have stayed locked in your room of regret,
Unable to move on,
But instead you opened the door and
Ventured outside into the sunshine.
You are learning to let the past go and I am proud of you.
Mom used to say, "after one time is another.
" I didn't know what that meant at the time, but now I do.
Each age has new sights and sounds and opportunities to explore.
You can now spread wings made strong by failure and
Disappointment,
Made wide by trial and error, and soar to new horizons.
As you soar and explore,
Remember to tell the man in the mirror daily how
Much you love and approve and respect and admire him.
See the love and appreciation reflected in his eyes and accept
This as living proof that you have found the greatest love of all.
When you find love within, you find love everywhere.
And regardless of how much society scoffs at the notion of love,
You know from experience, love is the greatest power in one's life.
Without love we are nothing but bones and
Teeth and skin and nails turning to dust.
But you sense, on a gut level, we are more than the sum of our parts.
We are much more...
So today, celebrate the whole with love and respect,
Trusting that the love that has brought you this far will
Take you further into moments of deeper peace and greater joy.
Gandhi spoke the truth,
If you want to change the world,
Begin by changing yourself, begin with love.