Happy Birthday Blessings

“You have not lived today

until you have done something for someone

who can never repay you.”

~John Bunyan

When my sister came to Florida on Friday she could not have known the details of the warm welcome awaiting her. Oh, sure, the morning of her arrival the area experienced heavy thunderstorms (complete with a tornado warning), but Saturday Pine Island put on her most beautiful face and everyone enjoyed a fun boat tour—including a visit to Cabbage Key where she got to touch a Gopher Tortoise!

Sunday’s delicious potluck cookout took place on the lanai (heavy winds were blowing, keeping even the Michiganders indoors), but even so, several Michigan friends were here to help celebrate her birthday.

We had an unseasonably cool day Monday, but we know it is nothing like the Arctic blast that is happening at home in Michigan.  Our landlord sent a text message, “You certainly picked a good week to enjoy Florida. It is bitter cold here.”Our warm thoughts reach out to all of our family and friends there.

One of the amazing gifts given to celebrate her birthday is the total generosity of our captain who took us on the boat tour of the Sound. I met his wife a couple of years ago. I was a stranger, just someone riding my bike down their street as she was tending to her garden. I stopped to chat because her dog played in the yard. When she found out we had spent several winters here but had not been out on the water she said simply, “When you get down here next year, give us a call and we will take you out.”

What allows some people to be so kind? 

This may not be the most memorable birthday of my sister’s entire life, but the way my brother-in-law proclaimed his bliss as we docked back at the house says a lot, “That was the most awesome adventure I’ve had in a long time!”

Thank you, Captain Chuck, and First Mate Dorene. I don’t know how I can ever repay you for the happy birthday blessing of that awesome boat ride you were willing to do for my sister!