May 23rd is one of my ‘heightened sensitivity’ days as it is the day before our son’s birthday. He was born in 1995 and will be 19 at 9.25 tomorrow morning.
As he is an only child, there is a real sense in which I see my life as being divided between the time before and the time since his arrival. As I was having an elective C-Section, I was in hospital this night 19 years ago and tossed and turned all night as if mirroring the transition that was unfolding.
I was looking through my photographic archives to find the photograph that I most associate with May 23rd and it has to be this one of the Rhododendron at the bottom of our garden that unfailingly comes into bloom in the run up to the birthday.
It served as the backdrop for his birthday parties when he was small; survived all the footballs and sliotars that he and his friends ‘accidently’ lashed against it; was among the first things that he ever photographed; and always reminds me to be intensely grateful for the precious, precious gift that transformed my life forever and who remarkably now stands at 6ft 3in!
How time flies! But, how well one remembers the significant crossings.
SOCIAL BRIDGE ~ Jean Tubridy connecting with you from Ireland 
My children are all adults, but every year, as each of the their birthday’s approach I remember the tiniest details about the day they were born (the weather, what I was wearing, the view out the hospital window. . . I could go on and on.)
Such a great joy in life to watch someone grow from something so tiny into an adult. Glad I was so blessed. Wishing you many more joys with your son!
Lovely post of reflection, Jean, and Happy belated birthday to your son. Would you believe that my son’s birthday was May 9th, he also turned 19 and is also 6’3″? Many coincidences and many joys shared with our sons…I wish you many more, too! Gorgeous photo, by the way!