The customary congratulations are due. I have successfully survived another lap around my home star and have added a plus one to my age. I am now 45 and such an accomplishment, the accomplishment of continuing to exist, I am now owed adoration and cake.
This has been a year, that’s for sure. Most of it has been lost to covid including a planned trip to Japan and roadtrip to Alaska. On the plus side, though, I did finally see Mammoth Cave during a socially distanced roadtrip, I got a new sister in law, a new niece and nephew by marriage, and welcomed a brand new baby niece into the world.
This year, my oldest child becomes a senior in high school, and my son became a teenager.
I joined TikTok as a way to pass time during the pandemic and, surprisingly enough, amassed an audience of over 100,000 followers. I honestly don’t understand why people find me appealing.
I watched in extreme happiness as Donald Trump was beaten by Joe Biden and when lost and lost and lost again in court cases because the MAGAs couldn’t taken an “L.” ThErE aIn’T nO “L” iN MaGa!”
Three weeks ago, I suffered a gastric bleed and ended up in the hosptial and then, released too early and still very anemic, I collapsed in the bathroom and broke three bones in my back. This is probably the most painful thing I have ever gone through, but the pain lessens a little more and more every day. I’ve recently traded my walker for a cane and I’ve gone all day today without using that. In a few weeks, I’ll be back to normal.
Unfortunately, this has delayed another trip I was planning to take to Ticonderoga, New York, but only for a month. I’m still planning on soldiering on.
And so, I continue to soldier on to year 46 and another lap around the sun. Maybe one day, I’ll finally know what it’s like to feel like a grownup.
Jason Gaston 