The Fabulous Fifty Day

I began as a mermaid. I swam through warm chlorinated water to pick up the sunken treasure. Blue, green, yellow striped little plastic fish were "swimming" over the brightly colored signs shimmering in the water. Head bopping in the waves breaking on the surface, I am laughing and spitting out water as I dive down to retrieve more of the sunken treasure. I haul my booty onto land, dripping wet, smiling goofy and giggling happily as if I was slurping up my first hot fudge sundae! On deck were the co-conspirator pirates, Miranda and Jake, who had sunk the treasure in the first place. Lined up, the confetti colored signs read, "Happy Birthday Lisa Anne Pimentel Johnson!" Flipping my mermaid tail once more in the chill of the air, the pirates returned back to their ships (home) and I swam on looking for more forgotten treasure.

Arriving home I became a Princess. Draped over my birthday chair festooned with balloons, ribbon streamers and glitter was a silver crown intertwined with a Happy Birthday garland. Poking out from under it was a satin pink sash with fuzzy red letters attached spelling out: Party Princess. Going with the pink/rosy theme, I threw on a rosy shirt with ruffles and lovingly set the crown ontop of my freshly primped hair. Next came the pink sash and I was ready to go out and meet the world in my new beginning of life at 50.

As Princess I received a lot of funny looks, mass confusion, shy smiles and big rounded eyeballs from my subjects, the public. It seems they do not see many Princess's in their day to day living, much less knew there was one living in San Luis Obispo! My two sweet daughters joined me for a pedicure and then all the family were off to see a movie, Monsters vs Aliens. My mother joining us as we flew out the door. The movie was not what I would at first pick since I do lean heavily towards romance, historical love stories and more romance, but this was the best out there that was not kill 'em, dice'em, vaporize'em movie junk.

Stuffed with candy and stomach muscles sore from rambunctious laughing, I become Queen when we return home. On my chair throne is a flowery sign, "Queen's Throne", inscribed in pink crayon. Looking on my left on the wall is the best type of graffiti...my wonderful husband painted my children as shadows hugging me! I moved into the middle of the hug and felt the love. It felt real good.

The cacophony of dinner being prepared was glorious! I, the Queen, sat in my throne and watched all the drama. Singed finger tips, jostling of dishes, spilled sauces and the clang of cutlery being set on the table. My wonderful husband spinned all my favorite songs and I impetuously grabbed my mother's arms and danced with her to a Beatles tune. Sipping the sparking bubbles of champagne, I felt the sublime thrill of transcendence in the moment of time spent with my family and celebrating this birthday.

Before we sliced into juicy steak and the buttery lobster, we prayed over our food and blessings. Each of my loved ones said a prayer for me. It was humbling and heartwarming to be so loved, so wanted and so blessed. I thanked them all for making me who I was. They had all given me all their best parts and I was very thankful for their love, laughter and prayers over the years. We toasted to life. We toasted to our Creator. We toasted to love...

In the midst of sparkler powder wafting in the air; torn pink, green tissue paper;  glitter twinkling in eyelashes, hair and clothes; I thought about my new life. Life can be waiting for you in someones eyes, in a phrase of music, in a starry night. You can find it. Just keep looking up.

My Queen's advice is this: Start a conversation. Report for volunteer duty. Begin the novel. Move. Roll your eyeballs around. Believe in something larger than yourself. Go to a game. Grab somebody's hand. And, yes, if you do just one thing only....connect with someone. Life will be even greater than you can imagine.