Birthday on Beacon Hill

there's a peak just east of Salt Lake City officially called Mt Wire where there are some big old radio reflector panels.  i've stood between the panels before (almost 20 years ago now... ) and although one could say that radio waves are not technically supposed to affect you, wow, it really felt weird.  hard to explain, but weird.  not a feeling i would ever want to repeat.  so although i go up on the mountain often, i've never stepped between those panels again.  the peak is also called Beacon Hill by some, because there is an old, defunct airway beacon on the top.

yesterday was my birthday, my 39th!  and i couldn't think of any better way to spend it than to go up on a hill overlooking the city with my two best friends:  Franklin and Artie.  it was a gorgeous October day.  about 60 degrees and brilliant Fall sunshine.  i always remember my birthdays in Michigan being quite rainy and a little bit dreary.  i remember my friends having parties in the Spring or Summer where we played games and ran around in their yards.  my birthday parties were usually spent indoors carving pumpkins.  fun, but not outdoors.  (i gotta admit, i had some pretty good birthday parties as a kid despite the weather.)  my favorite birthday treat will always remain yellow cake with chocolate frosting and candy corn pumpkins on top.

i think the thing that i most remember about my birthdays is that the maple leaves were always in the height of turning color:  in October, the luscious green leaves progressed to brilliant red, pink, peach, orange, and finally brown.  raking up crunchy, enormous piles of maple leaves and jumping into them, giggling and gasping for air as i became engulfed in them is one of my very favorite childhood memories.  i remember trying to lay as still as possible, at the bottom of a leaf pile, and never could quite be still enough, holding my breath, to get the crinkly crunching of the leaves to stop.

this year started out a bit rough for me, but i've turned a corner.  the bleakness of Winter melted into a Spring and Summer of rejuvenation my energy through running in the mountains with my friends.  a minor Fall setback, and i've resurfaced again, enjoying the brilliance of the season.  this year has brought me so many situations that i have learned so much from.  i've learned who my true friends are and what really makes me happy.  i've learned to take the bad things a little better in stride and not to take issue with every little thing.  life is for living and learning; and for living...