Happy Half-birthday

I'm 18 and a half today. Probably not one of those events in life that should be celebrated with a cake (although...) Nor do I have any intention of stealing the thunder of my best friend in the world, whose actual birthday follows my inferior partial one.

My best half-birthday in the world was freshman year. On any of her friends' birthdays, Cassie used to bring balloons which she fastened to the birthday boy or girl. Of course, my birthday fall in the summer, and I commented to Cassie that I'd never get to have a balloon float on after me as I went to all my classes. Maybe a little childish for someone who was 14, but still, Cassie remembered. Many months later, on my half-birthday, Cassie brought shiny birthday orbs just for me. Not only that, but she reminded all my other friends of what day it was and they brought a pile of cards that I'm sure I still have somewhere.

I'm wishing that this half-birthday were a little more upbeat and helium filled like those balloons. Instead, I'm sitting here wondering if anyone has discovered the secret to time travel yet. Then maybe I could float back to where I was on my real birthday six months ago. Lying in a hammock in the Boundary Waters with my best friends in the world. Waking up and falling asleep giggling. The only pain in my shoulder came from canoeing and portaging all day long. The weather was hot, but we could dive in the clear lakes. The food was bad, but we were starving from pushing ourselves all day. We began each day in the canoes thanking God. When we came home I was met by all the people we left behind and missed. We sat and giggled together and played Quiz Bowl. Chris and I shared a birthday cake, celebrating surviving another year.