Today (actually now yesterday) was my birthday.

[tavernier]

My wonderful kids took me out for my 69th. bd dinner to a beautiful spot in the Florida Keys.

Unbeknownst to me and them, the rest of my children and grandchildren came across the bridge as the the band was singing Happy Birthday to me. They had flown in from Indiana and Michigan.

I am not one to shed tears, but they got me good!

I guess I'm posting this mainly because we are a family split by different political sides, but in the end we truly love and care about each other, and we can put that aside. Will we still squabble? Probably. But I think we wish our country could coexist a bit better.

[femmocrat]

1. Happy Birthday, tavernier!

It sounds like a wonderful celebration!

[Tobin S.]

2. Happy Birthday!

[magical thyme]

3. Belated Happy Birthday, Tavernier!

And many happy returns!

[LiberalEsto]

4. Happy happy happy birthday!

and many more!

[tavernier]

5. Thanks, everyone! I wasn't trolling for birthday wishes

but just expressing my joy that families can indeed remain close despite politics. And believe me, we had to work AT IT!! It has been a struggle for us and a huge chasm for many families and friends. We've all "lost" loved ones because of the animosities that just can't always be fixed or overlooked.

In many instances we just simply agreed to disagree, but sometimes we went to "the table" and really did work out some kinks. Some points I gained, some I lost. But in the end, we understood a bit more about each other's opinions and why they were what they were.

For instance: I have a daughter who works for an insurance company. She truly does see people who abuse privileges, who have the "system down." This pisses her off, and I have to give her that because I also don't want my tax dollars being abused. But I asked her if there are legitimate ppl who require help and guidance and of course she said that there are. So we agreed that that the system is the problem. And we both want to see it fixed, but not destroyed.

Anyway, thank you all for the birthday wishes. I have much to be grateful for, and DU is one of my blessings. I am now officially an original old flower child, but this is where I belong. My generation stopped a war because we believed that wars killed children and other living things, and I still can't believe that more wars are the solution.

[NCarolinawoman]

6. What a wonderful birthday!

[riderinthestorm]

7. What a lovely birthday surprise!!

Happy belated wishes!

[Lisa D]

8. That's wonderful!

Happy Birthday!

[niyad]

9. awww, belated happy birthday tavernier. thank you for sharing such a beautiful evening

with us. and so glad your family can come together like that.