A Pirate Looks at Forty(seven)
Today marks the first birthday in seven years that I haven’t started the day by watching the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean. I know Florida is a mean place these days. And I know that it is the butt of a lot of jokes. But it is home. And the thought of spending a revolution away from my salty piece of land has bothered me immensely.
I won’t lie- this has been a tough year on me. I feel lost in a lot of ways and the realization that life hasn’t quite worked the way I wanted or hoped to dream is hitting home. I was gonna write to you talking about all of that but my mom and my younger son are in town and we went to Pike’s Peak today and I’m just too damn tired to fully get out all the things in my heart and my head.
I don’t celebrate my birthday anymore, or any holiday for that matter. Not for religion, but let’s just call it penance. Anyway, we lost Jimmy Buffett last year and that’s been on my head too. My favorite song of all time is A Pirate Looks at Forty. It captures the wistfulness of a man who knows he was born in the wrong place and the wrong time. I’ll have more later but I don’t wanna take it for granted that you’ve heard this song. So maybe my gift to you is hearing it for the first time. I hope you listen.
Anchors aweigh.
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday, you dear man. I wish I could give you a hug - please ask your mom to do it for me. My only child’s wife divorced him after five years; she is a very angry person and he is well out of it but it still broke his heart. We moved from NC to the Tampa area three years ago to support him and our now 5yo grandson. I can only imagine how hard it is to be across the country from your boys, and I hope your work will bring you back to the East in future.
Much love, Suzanne