See, it was like this: I wasn’t looking forward to my birthday. Accepting that I have reached this age took time to process (and no I will not share what age). Not only that, the master cylinder on my car had just decided to quit working and was demanding a pension. And I had deadlines on the same day. And rejections.
Still, I felt celebrated thanks to the well wishes of family, friends, and acquaintances, and the many meals out that I have enjoyed with family and friends, one of whom treated me to this . . .
. . . . which graciously premiered on my birthday. OF COURSE I WON’T SPOIL THE MOVIE! What do you take me for? Stop shaking your finger at me, please.
So anyway, I came out of my pre-birthday funk, though the days after my birthday looked like this . . .
(Yes. You are seeing correctly. That is snow. I think of the past weekend as Revenge of the Sith or The Empire Strikes Back. Winter was determined to get the last word in when I told it to leave.)
Recently, I felt a nudge at my elbow. When I turned, I saw this:
Me: Um, what’s this?
Henry: I’m giving you Boo Bear.
Me (noting Henry’s trembling lips and teary eyes): I can’t take your bear.
Henry (bravely): I want you to have him. He helps me when I’m sad.
I thanked Henry for the lovely gesture and decided to stop whining about birthdays and snow and master cylinders that conk out when I’m in the middle of driving.
Henry reminded me of the coping methods people use in challenging times. Henry has Boo Bear. Malik meditates on his own awesomeness.
Even Kitty chimed in with the fact that therapy has helped. In fact, she has enjoyed her sessions with her therapists, especially since she only has to pay them in Skittles.
What gets you through challenging times? Comment below to be entered into my birthday giveaway. What am I giving away? Certainly not Boo Bear. A $25 Amazon gift card. Nothing cheers me up like giving stuff away. I love to give presents similar to what I’ve received. So, it was either give a gift card or these:
Winner to be announced when I post next. (Sometime next week. Hopefully Monday or Tuesday.)
Avengers: Endgame movie poster from impawards.com. Other photos by L. Marie.
El Space--The Blog of L. Marie 
Like Malik, I think we should all meditate on our awesomeness!
I’m glad you had many and varied birthday celebrations, despite those disappointing rejections.
Thanks, Andy. It was great! I’m learning to deal with writing rejections. You’d think I’d be used to those by now. I’ve had hundreds!
Happy belated birthday. Not sure I’m the best to answer the question since I feel like I drag myself through these periods. I try talking to friends or zoning out on tv. Yet, I’m easily knocked back. Time might be the only effective cure.
Thanks, Charles. Some seasons are like that–you feel knocked down again and again. Still I’m amazed at the richness of the stories you produce even when you feel the most knocked down.
Thanks. Though I’m hoping the big knock down doesn’t reduce the richness this time. I’m slowly recovering.
I’m sorry you’re going through that. I’m hoping you’ll see a good return on your hard work.
One day. Right now, sales are in the gutter. Newest book sold 6 copies since debuting a month ago.
Oh man. 😧 Hope sales pick up soon. So glad I have my copy!
They’ve been dead for a while with a few blips of activity. No idea how to get it high and stay there.
Here’s hoping!
Time usually gets me through difficult times. That’s a somewhat meta answer to your question, but then I have no Boo Bear so I have to go with an alternative. Focusing on my breathing also helps. Just keep breathing, just keep going…
Great advice, Ally. Time seems to be a very important factor. And breathing. I have a tendency to tighten up when I’m very tense. Perhaps that’s why there are so many stress ball-type products around.
Before my feet hit the floor in the morning, prayer is what gets me through those tough times…otherwise, I might not get out of bed. Boo Bear is just the cutest. I’m happy you enjoyed some birthday festivities.
I hear you, Jill. That definitely helps me!
I did! And tonight friends are making dinner for me!!! Woot! 😊
Enjoy!
😊
Happy birthday, L. Marie, generous soul that you are! I’m sharing your gift to me on my blog today. Your gallery of friends cheered me up too: thanks! (I hope the wheels are turning on your car.) 🙂
I saw that post, Marian! So glad! 😊
The wheels are indeed turning. I’m so grateful that I could drive the car to the auto shop and leave it! They fixed it in two days. 😊
I’m not sure where my comment went from early this morning. Before my feet hit the floor in the morning, prayer gets me through those challenging times. I couldn’t get out of bed otherwise. No one likes car trouble especially for a birthday gift. Boo! I hope you’re back on the road soon.
I found it, of all places, in the spam folder! That’s never happened to your comments before. WordPress is very weird these days. ☹️
Happy Birthday, L. Marie! As my husband would say, he’s just glad to have a birthday 😉 Getting older is (hopefully) inevitable but the bodily aches and pains (my knees, my hips, my neck!), the inconveniences of life (car trouble, snow), and bad timing (deadlines, rejections) often seem to conspire to put a damper on what would otherwise make us happy: celebrating another year down, another year to live and dream. Henry and Kitty and even Malik have your back, sharing with you what works for them. When I’m down, I nuzzle my cats, which is not necessarily something they enjoy, but the softness of their fur, their warmth, the soothing vibration of their purrs, brings my blood pressure down. Escaping also works for me, whether by listening to music that makes me want to dance or watching a movie far removed from reality (preferably enjoyed with hot chocolate and some cake). When you have deadlines, it’s hard to take time out for yourself, but you need to. Contemplate your awesomeness for you are indeed one of the most awesome people I know.
Marie, I would add to your list, “taking beautiful photos of orchids.” I’ve enjoyed the ones on your blog. 😊
Thank you for your kind words. I had a great birthday. Alas, I have no more cats. Feral, my beloved stray cat friend who allowed me to feed him, passed this winter. But I enjoy the company of my friends’ cat. He likes to sit on whatever chair you sat on, even if you get up for just a minute.
Oh, so sorry to hear about Feral. At least he got to enjoy your kindness toward him ❤️ Cats love heat, especially body heat! Our cats do the same thing, jump up on our chairs as soon as we get up … if they’re not already in our laps 😉
My neighbor and I took care of him. We miss him.
Oh no! Didn’t know Feral didn’t survive the winter…so sorry to hear of your loss.
😦
Yes, he didn’t make it. 😥 Toward the end he was a little addled. He wouldn’t go in the little house my neighbor built for him in the bike shed.
Tanti auguri, L. Marie!
Henry’s Boo Bear gesture is touching…and is one of those things that would ‘help me get through it’. I’m very easy to please….simple gestures are all the world to me. A smile shared with a stranger while walking down the street, a chuckle shared with the check out lady…
But I do ‘get it’ about birthdays as one gets older…ahem. As you know, I tend to find ways to celebrate regardless (ie my 64 Beatles Bash).
But then, my family has been known to celebrate anything at the drop of a hat!
🙂
Kudos to your friend who treated you to that special movie which premiered on your b-day to boot! How serendipitous!
Grazie, Laura! I remember that post. 😊 I’ve had some good conversations and laughs with the checkout people at the store. Had a great conversation about Tolkien at the store the other day. 😊
Yes, kudos that that friend! We had a great time!
The film looks good – might get to take it. How about you?
I definitely want to see it! I hope that it is true to his life and the temptation to avoid adding things that weren’t there is firmly resisted.
Oh, I mean the Tolkien film…to clarify!
I figured that was what you meant. 😉
Oh Miss L, it’s nice of you to do giveaways, but it’s not necessary for me to comment. I especially wanted to comment here because I understand how you feel about birthdays. On mine, I just want to hide away and/or pretend it’s just another day. I don’t really like celebrating, but I understand loved ones like to let us know they love us on those days. I can’t stand it when people say, “it’s just a number.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, but my body is feeling (and showing) that number.
So, I get it. I’ll just say that I’m grateful for this April date you were born so that I was able to meet you years later through blogging. I hope we can meet in person one day, since we are so close.
I’m so sorry to hear you had that bad luck with your car, too. Ugh. And that snow. What a crazy thing, right? I posted a ton of pics of it on my blog, not that you need to see THAT again. Heh.
I hope your car is all better and you are doing well. Did you at least like the movie?
Hi, Lori! Thank you for the well wishes. Some ages we reach are just hard to bear for a while.
My car is running. I took it to the auto shop the day the brake system light went on. They kept it for a day.
I saw the pictures on your blog. We have had all four seasons in just a matter of days.
Happy Birthday! And that’s a bummer about the snow. It started in November and enough already! By the way, did you know there’s a Facebook group called “Binders Full of Rejects” that shares rejections. They’ve helped me get through a lot of things, and everyone is so supportive. I just posted something, because I’d organized what I thought was an amazing panel, and three days before the proposal deadline, everyone who’d promised to be on it withdrew, one by one.
You have to give credit to Malik for bouncing back so soon after being relieved of his blogging duties for poor performance.
Thanks, Lyn! I’m sorry to hear about your panel proposal. Do you think you’ll get to do it at some other time?
Yes, Malik is one who readily bounces back.
I didn’t know about that Facebook group.
Happy Birthday, L Marie! 21 is such a great age and nothing at all to be ashamed of… 😉 Hmm, when I’m down I guess I mostly cuddle a cat. Of course, this can be quite dangerous if the cat happens to be Tuppence and she’s not in the mood! Tommy’s usually safer…
Thanks, FF! You’re right. It’s nice to be a legal adult finally.
Cat cuddling should be a sport with degrees of difficulty: cuddling when the cat is not in the mood (four times the point value); cuddling when the cat is in the mood.
Comfort food gets me through the tough days. 😛
Happy Birthday! Glad that you got to see the Avengers ON your special day.
Thanks, Nancy! It was an awesome birthday! 😊
A belated (cause I’m late in commenting) belated birthday, L. Marie.
Sorry for the lead up – glad for the celebrations and movies. Sometimes, these b-days creep up on us. I have a very BIG one coming up in a few months so . . . I’ll probably eat my way to it, or buy some things I want, or . . . 🙂
Thank you, Penny! Birthdays can be hard, can’t they? Sometimes we need time to process their coming. I hope you’ll buy things you want! 😉