Gleaning Facebook: Extra Innings

It is my birthday. Forgive as I explain some things that may seem a little morbid. This has been such a strange year for me. I have for a number of years been a little superstitious about my age. At twenty minutes past midnight on March 22, 2014 I turned 67. I'll never forget the day my grandfather, Grady Shaw, died in 1965. Born in May of 1898, he died in July of 1965, just two months past his 67th birthday. My father, born in May of 1919, died in December 1986. I won't forget that day either. He was six months past his 67th birthday.

Of course from the perspective, first, of an 18 year old, and then of a 39 year-old 67 seemed old. It no longer seems so. I now grieve for my father and grandfather a bit differently, thinking more about all the living they missed. I passed Grady Shaw's greatest age in May 2014. I passed Daddy last October. And now I've reached that birthday neither of them reached: 68. But, remarkably, instead oł feeling frightened or saddened, I feel somewhat liberated. I am into extra innings. I want to make the most I can of these privileged extra days I have. I want to honor those so dearly loved men by living my remaining days consciously, fully, meaningfully.

That is one reason we just finished a three-day storytelling festival here in Rome. Some others, perhaps wisely, wondered if we should wait another year or two and spend some time working on preliminaries. No! I am not into waiting. I want to do.

Comments:

Natalie Roseberry
Happy Birthday!

Wendy Davis
Wishing you much joy in your "extra innings!" Happy Birthday, my friend!!

Sandy Doughty
Happy Birthday, Terry! I can, somewhat, relate. My Mother passed away when I was 26 and she was only 44. I, too grieved for her lost years of life. As I grew closer to my 40's birthdays...41, 42, 43 and then that big one 44....

Sharlette Denise Holcomb
God bless you, my friend!

Deborah Swanson
Make it a great and happy day! 

Sandy Doughty
Continued... As I came closer and closer to my 44th birthday, I was anxious, depressed and wondering just how closely my longevity... or, rather the lack thereof....might be tied to my Mother's. It astounds me and saddens me, now that I'm 68, to realize just how much she really did miss and how many more years I've been granted. And, yes, to make the most of those years! Again, Happy Birthday, my treasured friend!!

Brenda Ron Carroll
Happy Birthday Terry!!

Rita Lawler
Happy birthday Terrell. Keep remembering them, it will add depth and fun, each time

Barron Kirkpatrick Frazier Brown
Happy Birthday Terry! I have the same conundrum. My mother died one month shy of her 69th birthday in 1977. As I grew older I became increasingly aware of how early she left us, especially as I knew more and more family who passed that age...especially all her children. I am the youngest of her six children. All living. Even though my father lived until he was 75, it is my mother and her death which has influence my thinking. I turned 68 last January. It amazes me I am the same age as when she died, yet in much better heath than she was. She had had several heart attacks over the years before the one that took her. I see clearly she could have lived much longer. I don't think my passing through the actual month she died, next Valentines Day, will have the same impact. I have always missed her, think about her every day, and wish I could talk to her. Each day I live the gift of life she gave me almost seventy years ago. Passing my father's age at death will be poignant too, but not the milestone of being the same age I last remember Mama.

Denise DesSoye
Happy extra innings Terrell!

John Countryman
Live long and prosper. I fully expect you to make the most of the many decades remaining in your generous life.

John Countryman
And Happy birthday. May it be the stimulus for yet another colorful story!

Anthony Vinson
Keep swinging at the good pitches!

Nancy Waters Carr
Happy Birthday

Diane Conti
Happy Birthday.

Tim-Wanda Baird
Happy Birthday I pray it is very Blessed

Raymond Atkins
You are a 100-year guy if ever I saw one, Terrell!

Madelyn Collette
Happy Birthday Terrell and many more.

Brian Sikes
Happy Birthday Terrell! Your storytelling days aren't done yet!

Victoria Stanz Abernathy
Welcome the 68th year! May it be another even more enlightened one on our journey of discovery and sharing. I crossed that imaginary threshold the day after Christmas. My German grandmother who taught me so much though we were seldom together passed about this age. My family taught stoicism about all things unpleasant, when working through sadness is more beneficial. May your third eye be opened further this year and joy be its hallmark.

Michael J. Burton
A powerful threshold for sure.

Joyce Mink
Funny how much younger the 60 year olds seem now than when I was young. Hope I'll feel that way when I hit my 70's too. Happy Birthday!

Julie Ingram Gatanis
Happy birthday!

Nancy Johal Singh
You're just one day older than me and two days older than Avi well at least you act like it lol...we wish you a very happy birthday...hope your day is as wonderful and fun as you:)

Connie Cochran
Happy Birthday!

Mary Louise
Happy Birthday! 

ML

Ann Perkins Niemeier
Happy Birthday! stop worrying about your age!

Deborah Lake Dawson
Happy Birthday Terrell, thankfully we now know things that can keep our ticker going beyond that genetic factor! Enjoy all the blessings of life over 67 has to offer:-)

Lara Broadwell Walton
Happy Birthday!!

Julie Hatfield Burton
That’s a good story about your granddaddy and daddy! What a memorable for you! Sweet! Happy Birthday, Terrell, and more to come!! 

Sharon Barefield
Happy Birthday. You're brave!!!

Martin Penland Teem
Happy Birthday old friend.

Lois Gilbert
Stay with us Terry,God ain't done with you yet!Happy Birthday!

Mark Lewis
Have a happy and blessed birthday, Terry!

John Carlin
Happy birthday!

Diane Loyd Gage
Happy Birthday, Terry! Hope it's a great one!

Ruth Baird Shaw
Happy Birthday to my precious son, blessed treasure to your Dad and me 68 years ago and still a blessed treasure!

Charlie Hehn
HBD!

Nena Dake
Happy Birthday - have a great year!

Ken Gossett
Yaaaaaaay for 68!

Phyllis Cox
Happy birthday! Continue on with your doing!!!

John Paul Schulz
You obviously got your mom's genes.

Barbara Jean Smith
Happy Birthday! I felt some of those very same feelings.

Dawn Lambert
Happy Birthday Mr. Shaw

Lori Sturgeon
I have no doubt that you will live your life out just the way you said...Consciously, fully, and meaningfully....And thanks for teaching so many of us to do the same, myself included...Happy Birthday....

Anita Stewart
Happy Birthday....every day is a gift. Enjoy, fill up your bucket list, and live each day to the fullest. Happy Birthday!!!!

Janie Hamrick Jacobs
Happy birthday, Terrell!

Marsha Yancey Atkins
Wishing you many years filled with joy, meaningful work,and love. Happy Birthday! (Enjoyed the storytelling)

Delmas Franklin
Happy Birthday

Joan Shaw Turrentine
...and I have been blessed to be with you throughout all 68 of your years! I hope your day is great and that the year ahead is your best one yet! I love you.

Claudia Kennedy
Here;s to extra innings. Hit one out of the park, kid!

Mike Bock
Happy Birthday, Terry.It's good to note that at your birth, the whole northern hemisphere world put winter aside and welcomed spring. And make of it what you will, shortly after your birth there was the whole Roswell thing! I'm counting on your sticking around and I'm pulling for your Mother's genes to help win the victory.

Linda Bell
Happy Birthday Terrell.

Michael Bryan
Be careful, you could think yourself into following the pattern of your father and grandfather. My father, too, died at the age of 67. My older brother (and my father's namesake) has had many of the same health problems and seemed to be heading in that same direction. Thank God, he is now 68 and has had a quadruple by-pass. A proceedure that my father rejected. Break the pattern, Terrell, and set a new record for someone to try to surpass. Happy Birthday.

Juanita Mull
Happy BirthdayTerrell! We love you...

Kathy Wilson
Happy Birthday.You're only as young as you feel and therefore you're fairly young. Hope your body feels the same.

Jim Turrentine
Happy Birthday. I hope your day was special.

Terrell Shaw
It's been great, Jim. Thanks.

Helen Keefer
My Dad was the same way about his 79th birthday. It seemed everyone died at 79.... but Dad passed that and live on to be 93. So that means you have at least 14 more years if you will just follow his example.

Jaki Day
Weeeelll..makes me think of the good ol'days

Eric Lindberg
Happy birthday Terrell! Thanks for sharing those sentiments.

Nancy Woods
Happy birthday my friend

Ruth Pinson
Happy birthday, Terrell!!! It seems you've always lived your life fully and with purpose. Keep it up, my friend!!!

Terrell Shaw
Thanks, Ruth. Trying to keep up with you fully purposeful youngsters on the fourth grade hall 1) kept me young or 2) wore me out? 

Donald Murdock
Sorry I didn't get my wishes in yesterday, but hope it was a good one.
Hey, we're on borrowed time from day one and no one can predict or do anything but play the hand we're dealt. Since the dealer pulls from the bottom, it's anybody's guess. "Death's all around us, just waiting for us to place ourselves in it's path...". Never hesitate. Take every leap into the void, with no fear in your heart. Grab life by the cohones and live it large! Cheers, friend. DM

Terrell Shaw
That's my mission, Don, though I might state it a bit more delicately.