Happy Birthday, Rick!

Today is Rick's birthday, and I'm feeling overwhelming appreciation that he decided to show up on the planet when he did! Interestingly (or, at least, it's interesting to me!), he was born 23 days and five minutes sooner than I was, in a town about 60 minutes from where I was. He was born in Chapel Hill, NC, on the UNC campus and I was born in Lexington, NC.

That wouldn't be all that interesting except that when I met Rick, I was in North Carolina and he was in Colorado. We were both 43 at that time.We met online and for the first couple of weeks of our online friendship, I had no idea that he had NC roots--that his parents descended from generations of North Carolinians. I, on the other hand, am the daughter of NC newbies--my family has only been there for 60 years or so.

I always imagine that we were buddies in another realm and decided it would be fun to incarnate on Earth. I see the conversation as going something like this:

I say, "Look--it promises to be a grand adventure and all, but I'm not all that sure about it--could you please go first and check things out to be sure it's okay?"

And then Rick says, "I'd do anything for you, baby!" and leaps into the abyss, finding himself in a cradle in North Carolina (definitely God's country). He sends a message, "It's OOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKK...come on down!" And so I wait till the timing is perfect, and I leap, too, finding myself blown off course a little so that I end up in a body in a cradle in a town not too far away, but just far enough that we don't find each other for quite some time.

Okay. A fantasy. But it does feel we were destined, even if it took more than 4 decades and a lot of mileage to find each other again.

I actually started writing this because I wanted to pay tribute to Rick's wonderfulness. He's not only my lover and best friend, he's like the big brother I always dreamed of having--you know, the one that takes care of you and protects you and gives you really good advice and helps you remember who you are, putting you in your place when needed!.

Here is a list of just some of the things I love about Rick besides that he is devoted to me and is always doing things to make my life richer, more fun, and easier. He's:

• brilliant
• insightful
• articulate
• compassionate
• quick-witted
• funny
• intuitive
• giving
• patient
• helpful
• easy-going
• loyal
• wise
• trustworthy
• mine! (okay--so no one belongs to another, but you know what I mean!)