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But not only do I have a new website, I’ve started a new year. I just turned 60!
Several months ago my girlfriend said: “You’re going to turn 60. What would you like us to do for your birthday?”
“Oh, nothing much,” I said, “Don’t worry about it.”
“We are going to do something, so you’d better start thinking about what you want.”
I decided that I needed to figure something out and let her know or this could get out of hand. Marlen thinks big. So I thought about it for awhile and called her back. “How about a simple birthday party and a tarot reading?”
“Perfect. Where would you like your party to be?”
“How about at our house?” We have a perfect house for medium-large gathers and our friends are used to coming here.
“Fine. You won’t have to do a thing. Just leave it to me.”
The big day came and Esther, my daughter-in-law, and Alex, my future daughter-in-law whisked me off to look at wedding sites for Alex. We had a lovely day exploring and wound up at a house warming party at my editor, Jessica Morrell’s, home. I changed for my birthday party at her house.
As we headed for the car Alex said, “When you get in, don’t look at Esther in the back seat. It will spoil the surprise.” I’d had a feeling that this wasn’t going to be a simple birthday party, and these instructions confirmed my suspicions.
“Just sit there and don’t look around,” they said when we arrived at our house. Alex and Esther got out of the car and began pulling things out of the trunk and giggling.
“This sounds dangerous,” I thought.
“OK, close your eyes. Now get out of the car and we’ll lead you up to the house.”
The roar of many voices having a good time and perhaps on their second glass of wine boomed out the front door. But as we got closer, it decrescendoed into the occasional whisper with a suppressed giggle and snort thrown in here and there. They led me through the door.
“Open your eyes!”
The living room was packed with friends dressed as tarot cards. There were Suns, Moons, Stars, Fools and lots of Queens of cups. In fact cups of any kind were popular, since most folks figured they’d have a wine or beer glass in their hands anyway, why not make it part of the costume? There were lots of Hermits wandering around. They were in a state of shock because Hermits are by definition solitary and not given to attending large, boisterous parties. They also decided that a group of hermits is an oxymoron. Death also made an appearance, but he wore a wreath of roses on his head and hoped that when I met him next, I would be a Grateful Dead. There was a Magician, a Hanged Man, and a Tower. The house sizzled with love and magic.
After a fabulous potluck dinner and general socializing, Marlen, dressed as The Star and crowned with a large paper star, sat me down in the seat of honor. She stuck a fool’s cap on my head and handed me a fool’s staff with the bag at the end stuffed with blessings and good wishes from everyone there. There followed more blessings and singing and then she blindfolded me and stood me in the middle of the living room. My friends, the tarot cards, circled around me and chanted and then stopped.
“Reach out with your staff and the card you touch will be your guide,” Marlen said.
We did this four times.
Then they took their dazed and confused Fool, still blindfolded, outside to whack at a piñata. I finally managed to beat it to the ground, but was never able to break it open.
Back in the hot seat, I got to see who my guides for the next year would be. I’d tapped The Star, the Queen of Cups, The Fool, and The Tower. Kristen was the only Tower at the party, and I still managed to choose her. I wasn’t surprised. It’s gonna be quite a year.
My wonderful friends and family filled me with love and energy, strength and inspiration. It was one of the most memorable evenings of my life. Thank you thank you thank you all.
And in a few days my husband and two friends and I are headed for Greece to soak in the magic of the sacred sites and swim in the wine dark sea. I will be back in a few weeks with stories to tell and pictures to share.
- Santorini, Greece