A Birthday Warning from the Universe?

I am offended.  I opened Facebook this morning and saw this: “Phyllis, it’s almost your birthday.  That did not offend me.  But it was followed by links to pages for Alzheimer’s Association and 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline! That DID offend me.

I have always enjoyed birthdays — mine and other people’s.  I thought they were a day to celebrate – my own entrance into this life and the fact that the world was graced with their presence.  Apparently, I’ve been doing it wrong.  And now I seem to have been warned that this upcoming birthday is the beginning of a major downward spiral.  Either I am going to want to escape using drastic measures, or I’m just not going to remember it at all.

And here I thought I was starting a new chapter.  I was planning on making the next 20 or so years the best ones ever.  I have started writing a new book; I’ve begun laying the groundwork to seriously market the books I’ve already written; I’ve been daydreaming about spending springtimes in Europe.  I wanted to take up hiking and maybe ride a horse again once in a while.

So, now what?  Do I go into mourning  for my lost youth and all the opportunities I allowed to pass me by?  Do I cultivate a deep depression?  (I’ve never been very good at staying depressed.)  Or maybe I should take up heavy drinking and get a jump start on the forgetting.  Or combine the two – get drunk and become absolutely maudlin, then forget why.

Then I looked outside.  There were deer in the yard and cardinals at the bird feeder.  The sun was shining and the air was cool.  What do you know about anything, Facebook?  I closed the app and put on my walking shoes (got to build up for hiking, just in case).  Today, the only thing I will forget is that I am getting older.  But maybe instead of my morning smoothie, I will put a martini in my Yeti cup.  Gotta hedge my bets, after all.