94th birthday
Today, we surprised my great uncle Jerry Kerwin on his 94th birthday with a massive party at his assisted living home. My attention-to-detail aunt Patty organized everything from the table runners to the flowers to the balloons to the food to the time frame to the camera. All the food mom and I helped prepare last night was served in addition to Aunt Patty's delicious dishes. He was extremely surprised when she walked him into the room as we all waited to yell the welcoming greeting of "SURPRISE!" You could see the love streaming from his eyes as Aunt Patty pointed at each family member, some he hadn't seen in many many years.
She was unsure how many of his friends would arrive after our private family lunch that was noon to 1. By 12:30, his friends were already trickling in. By 1:30 there were 40-50 people in the room laughing, wishing him happiest of birthdays, hugging him, chatting and snapping pictures. Uncle Jerry was quite the Ft Smith stud. He's a life-long bachelor, owner of the sports store on the main strip that was once a saddle shop back in the western days, and socialite extraordinaire. He is kind, warm-hearted, and quite hilarious.
To sit in the room full of people he had been a part in some way or another was a humbling experience. A 94th birthday party, a celebration with family and friends unlike any other. The mayor arrived and spoke about his interactions with Jerry and named it officially Jerry Kerwin day for Ft Smith.
I'm proud to be in a family that orchestrates days like today uniting us from various states and generations together. That openness to invite one another in on the celebrations of life is a part of my soul. Walking in this journey of 100 days of yoga has opened a part of me up more than I have been in a long time to experiencing the moments and stories of each day. As I completed my individual session tonight on the yoga mat my boyfriend brought me the morning we left for this trip, I allowed thoughts of gratitude and thanks to fill me with my inhales and insecurities of tomorrow leave me with my exhales.
We gain nothing by worrying about tomorrow, and everything by rejoicing with the people we love today.