This weekend, as the title of this posts suggests, was both my 25th Birthday as well as a the first Superbowl that that Seattle Seahawks were in — which, as we all know, they lost. Some may say they got outplayed, others may say that the MVP award should be the Referees. And still others might say that Jeremy Stevens lost the game for us. But anyway…onto the memory of my 25th birthday. But before I begin I’d like to quote, well, myself — from a year ago.
“who knows where life will bring me? who knows where i will be febraury 4, 2006. I may not be alive. I may have cancer. I may be in perfect health. Heck, if modern medicine doesn’t work i could even be a father.”
What a strange thing to read my words a year later and to reflect on the year. The good news is I am not a father, but I have at least three friends that will be soon and another one that already is. I do not have cancer — at least that I know if. I am alive — and healthier than I was a year ago with a change of diet and more regularly exercising. And, on February 4, 2006 I was snowshowing with ym beautiful and adventerous wife up in Snoqualmie Pass. We borrowed snowshoes from the owners of the bakery I work at and headed up the mountains. It was quite a wonderful experience. For anybody that watches national news you know that it has rained alot more than normal in Seattle this year, but what you may not know is that Vitamin D deficiencies make me crappy, tired, and depressed. Snow, and below freezing weather has a way to lift me temporarily out of the small seasonal depression that I experience.
Brooke and I hiked in about a mile before we got hungry, so we went off the trail a little ways and found a nice nook to eat lunch in. We brought Campbells chunky soup and hot cocoa along with our portable stove. So we sat down in the snow and waited for our soup to heat up. As we sat and ate lunch the snow continued to fall all around us. To see pictures fo here.
After lunch we continued to hike for a couple hours. As we walked back to the car we got excited about coming back later in the week to finish the hike that we started and made plans to return on Thursday — as well as making plans to buy snowshoes at the end of the season. Another hobby — this is dangerous. But at least this one dooesn’t cost $50 for a lift ticket.
Later that night our pastor, friend, and mentor hosted a small gathering of friends to feast over my birthday. Brooke made pulled pork that was made in a Crock Pot, mashed potatoes, cheesecake, and rhubarb pie. Some other friends brought a fantastic salad from Trader Joes, other friends brought me my favorite beer (Biere de Mars from New Belgium Brewing), and still other friends brought me Belgium Beer thinking that I liked any Belgium Beer. Both Beers were fantastic and I made sure to share amongst us all.
As we sat around the table Rob Gillgrist asked me the question, “Joel, do you remember where you met each person that is here?” A question like that is not only a fun question to remember stories, but it is also fun to reminice about. As I recounted my first memories of each person there I counted help but feel blessed at the randomness and obscurity of each first memory. There were people there who I ‘clicked’ with immediately upon meeting. There were people there who I became friends with because we often found ourselves in the same places and just started talking to each other. There were people there who I didn’t get along with, at all, for the first year I knew them and now, a year later, is one of my best friends. There were people there who have changed contexts since I’ve known them — they went from a roommate of my best friend to a husband of another best friend. It was truly an eclectic group of people — and the strangest, yet somehow symbolic of my life, part is that as people walked in the door they had to introduce themselves to each other. Some of my friends had never met each other. And for this being a gathering of those who are closest to me it felt strange/profound that they would have to introduce themselves to each other. I don’t know what these means in the ‘big picture’ but for the immediate context it embodied the word ‘transition.’
Later that night, after winning in the game Cranium, another friend invited me to story again by asking “What were you doing on your 20th birthday?” After I had completely answered that question he asked, “What were you doing on your 15th?” And as if that wasn’t enough memories and enough stories he asked, “What about your 21st?” and “What about your 22nd?” I ended up walking through the last 5 years of my life. I talked about engineering, Mars Hill Bible Church, drinking by myself on my 21st birthday — because I could, sitting at Outback with Brooke on my 20th birthday, hiding a birthday card from Brooke on my 21nd birthday from my current girlfriend because I was scared if she found it, and Brooke and I got to tell our story — the story of divine ridiculousness that brought me to be able to say, “This is my wife, Brooke Gartland (Vandenbrink).”
I truly felt honored and loved on my quarter century birthday. So thank you all who were there, and for those who called, emailed, sent cards, and any other way of communicating to me that you remembered me on my birthday.
Life continues to progress, and much like I asked last year, I will ask this year. What will cause me to cry? What will cause me to laugh? And what will cause me to be angry? In this, my 25th year of life on planet earth.
peace
joel
p.s. As one of my birthday presents I received a framed, black and white picture of George Clooney and Brad Pitt. I might possibly be the only male alive that would feel privileged and honored to receive such a gift. I live in the world of metaphors and Oceans Eleven serves as a mighty fine metaphor for movements. (more to come later).
