It’s My Birthday!

Today is my birthday and I am in Little Rock, Arkansas!  I am traveling, training and coaching in early childhood classrooms.   Lucky me to do what I love; my passion.   So the traveling piece got me to thinking of my Aunt Erma.  

Every summer I  spent weeks visiting my favorite aunt in Jackson, Mississippi.  She was the fun aunt who loved me and spoiled me.  She was the aunt who loved adventure and I loved listening to her stories of riding on camels and elephants; of her travels to far off places.  I adored receiving postcards from those exotic places.  I still have those postcards.

In 1962 she bought me a plane ticket to travel from Jackson, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee via Memphis.  It was a present; graduating from sixth grade was a big deal back them.  I had to change planes and I was solo; all by myself!  My first flight on a plane ever! 

I still remember that day; walking on the tarmac, turning around to my Aunt to capture this photo; getting on the plane with my purse and book, feeling so big.  All by myself.  It was a window seat and I don’t believe I ever opened the book.  My nose was pressed on the window and I was in total awe of what I seeing below.  

And then we landed in Memphis.  My first landing ever! And to this day I remember that landing because when the wheels touched the ground there was a “bump” and my nose hit the glass.  To this day I press my nose on that glass and remember my Aunt.  And I always say “thank you!”  

Thank you for giving me the “gift of the world,” my ticket into the world.   This ticket changed my life forever and that is why I am writing today.  I love to fly!  I love the adventure.  I love the window seat.  I love pressing my nose on the glass and to feel the bump and remember the love of my aunt.  I love you Aunt Erma!  Happy Birthday to me!