Today, January 30th, is Gigi's birthday. My birthday is March 5th. We celebrate our birthdays together in some fashion between January and April. Typically this involves a meal and a movie or a meeting.
An important lesson from these spread-out birthday celebrations is for me to not hold out for a perfect moment that lasts forever. That expectation leads to disappointment and madness. Instead, I have learned to enjoy many good moments over time with my friends as we celebrate our birthdays and milestones in our lives.
Gigi is and has been a really good friend. When I tried to interact with my mother 7 years ago, Gigi joined us for Thanksgiving, Christmas and my mother's birthday in January helping to serve as a verbal lubricant and emotional bodyguard. Thanks to Gigi's kind loving support, I was able to visit with my mother. Talking with my mother was too painful for me to continue. It was good that I tried.
Gigi is the only person I have let visit me when in the hospital in the last decade. It is painful and hard for me to show some of my vulnerabilities to others. Gigi's compassion and empathy help me to accept her support when I am even further incapacitated than my usual paraplegia.
Gigi has taught me about Kringles which are a delicate delicious plate-sized giant Danish pastry. We get some every year at Molbak's nursery in Woodinville after looking at their (literally) acres of Xmas ornaments and lunching at the café in the nursery. While dining at the café last month, our mutual good friend Joy called Gigi from Walla Walla. That was nice. The three of us had gone to Molbak's several times back when Joy lived in Newcastle.
Gigi is going to Mexico with her family this week. We will get together when she gets back to celebrate another year in our lives and relationship together.
I am grateful for love and support I share with my great friend Gigi.
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