Birthdays

One of the toughest things for people who have had an immediate family member pass away is to endure anniversaries, holidays and birthdays that involved that person.

On Thursday, March 11, my mom would've celebrated her 77th birthday. She was born in Los Angeles at the old Methodist Hospital in 1933. This was one day after the Long Beach Earthquake. My great-grandfather (who was a retired doctor) quipped at the time, "It took an earthquake to get her born!"

A funny thing about my mom and her birthday: Back in 1983, there was a bit of a hoopla over the fiftieth anniversary of King Kong. That same year, my mom also turned 50. All the noise in the media over Kong annoyed her. She said at the time, "That just only reminds me of my age!"

I pretty much had the same feeling when Godzilla's fiftieth anniversay was celebrated in 2004. I turned 50 that same year. This year's birthday was somber as it came only weeks after my mom died.

Another oddity that I just found out tonight: Stephanie Shayne Parkin, the daughter of Robert "Inspector Henderson" Shayne (from the 1950s Adventures of Superman), lost her mother Betty last week. This Thursday, March 11, Stephanie also will celebrate her birthday (I won't give away her age here). She's been having to deal with receiving birthday cards that are mixed in with sympathy cards in the mailbox.

It is strange how things work out.

I don't know at this point how I will handle this Thursday. It may be depressing, or it may not affect me at all. I'll just have to wait and see.

UPDATE (3/10/10): I received this nice note from Stephanie:

You are so dear, Armand. Thank you. We’re in it together, friend. March 11 this year will be sad for both of us.

Hugs,
Stephanie

She's exactly right, we're in this together. I know quite a number of people who've lost a parent over the past six months.