March Brings My Birthday and Thoughts of Japan, as Time Flies.

My birthday's in March, so it's always a special month for me. I wait for it to arrive, always say that I'm going to celebrate all 31 days, and, suddenly, it's April 1st. I know that time is going faster, because I've read that it is so. I think that I can almost feel it's fleeing...I look at the clock one minute, do something quickly, and another hour's gone.

I did have a wonderful birthday week-end this year, though, filled with family and friends. I got to spend time with all three sons during the month, for which I am most grateful.

My 22nd birthday brings back a flood of memories. I was a new bride, and I had the great, good fortune to be able to live in Japan for nine full months. My husband had been sent to Sapporo by the Army. He'd been drafted right after he'd received his degree in economics. The Army made him a telephone repairman. Luckily for us, he got a strep throat, when he was about to be shipped overseas, was hospitalized and re-assigned to the payroll department of the Quartermaster Corp. Lots of economics there. Lucky break.

The Masaki family took us in, let us live in their upstairs, treated us like their own kids, and celebrated us and every holiday that came by. On my birthday in Japan, my mother sent the recipe for my favorite chocolate cake and a very special lady baked it as a surprise. I carry the memories of my time in Japan in my soul.

The cherry trees have already blossomed in Japan, giving that country magical qualities for the month. That phenonmeon is given great attention annually. I've was there at that time of year. It is like fairy land. The Japanese celebrate grandly with parties, picnics, poems, songs. They realize that that display of nature is really something and spectacularly memoralize them with song, drink, togetherness and cameras. It's wonderful. It's a great family time. I shall go again.

The school year's almost coming to a close. People are thinking about their summer vacations, already, and soon June will be here...Oh, Mother's Day does fall in-between. If I had enough resources, I would celebrate this Mother's day by taking my entire family to Kyoto, and the southern parts of Japan for as much time as we all could eke out...

I know my family's full of all ages now, which could make for interesting decisions about what to do and see. I wonder how long some could be away from their texting and social net-working.

It definitely takes some negotiating and listening to travel with family these days. It's best to know that there are lots of different needs and opinions in one's "tribe." Perhaps, it's worthwhile to operate very democratically and take votes on everything. And if the minority doesn't like what the majority wants, they have permission to secede and go where they want, as long as everyone shares at the end of the day. I could handle that. I know that I would win some and lose some. That would be ok, too. I would be savouring everything all over again and with some new eyes.

Tomorrow's another Monday. Best I get ready for it.